Question

Number of wildlife sanctuaries set up in India in present (2017) are -
(a) 543
(b) 417
(c) 316
(d) 294

Answer 1

A wildlife sanctuary is a place where animals are brought into a natural habitat to live and are protected for the rest of their lives. As India has immense diversity in flora and fauna, there are a large number of wildlife sanctuaries present.

Complete step by step answer:
- 543 wildlife sanctuaries have been established in India from 1936 - 2016. As of 2017, the area covered by the sanctuaries is $118,918 \ km^2$.
- Wildlife sanctuaries in the country are classified as IUCN Category IV protected areas. IUCN stands for International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
- The areas protect endangered and vulnerable species of animals, plants, reptiles, and insects.
So, the correct answer is 543.

Additional Information:
- IUCN Category IV is a species or habitat management area, which is similar to a natural monument, but is focused on a specific area of conservation or regulation. It includes a species or habitat that requires constant protection.
- Management of these areas includes poaching prevention, creation of artificial habitats, providing supplementary feed to the species, and halting natural succession.
- Fifty tiger reserves are maintained in the country as a part of ‘Project Tiger’ which is a tiger conservation program launched by the Government of India.
- The sanctuaries currently cover 3.64% of the country.

Note:
- As of 2020, the total number of wildlife sanctuaries in India is 551. The data is from the National Wildlife Database from May 2019.
- The most number of wildlife sanctuaries in India are present in Andaman and Nicobar islands, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.