Question

White Bengal tigers are protected in a special setting in zoological parks.
Tiger reserves are maintained in the Western Ghats.
(a) How do these two approaches differ from each other? Mention the advantages of each one.

Answer 1

Zoological parks are an example of ex-situ conservation. Ex- situ conservation involves conservation of organisms outside their natural habitat.

Tiger reserves in the Western Ghats are examples of in-situ conservation. In-situ conservation involves the conservation of organisms in their natural habitat. The major aim of this type of conservation is to preserve natural areas of the organisms and maintain their number.

Ex-situ conservation has following advantages -

1. It involves protection of species from external threats like predation and poaching. The white tiger is an example.
   
2. It involves reintroduction of several organisms that have left their natural habitat.

In-situ conservation has following advantages -

1. It doesn’t involve removing species from their natural ecosystems.
   
2. It is not as disruptive as ex situ conservation, i.e. ecological integrity is maintained.
   
3. It involves protection of larger populations and conservation of organisms and their habitat as a whole.
   
4. The organism gets the opportunity to evolve.