Q1. [2] deep thorough-understanding
India is considered one of the world's richest countries in biological diversity, yet a large portion of that diversity remains undiscovered and undocumented. What does this imply about the actual scale of biodiversity loss occurring in India today? Explain with reference to the threats currently faced by India's flora and fauna.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:28 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Since much of India's biodiversity remains undiscovered, species may be going extinct before they are even identified or studied. This makes the true scale of biodiversity loss far greater than records show. Threats like poaching, habitat destruction, shrinking forests, depletion of prey base, and illegal trade in wildlife continue to push flora and fauna toward extinction.
Source: Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India, Chapter 2
Explanation
- The key inference examiners expect: unknown species = unrecorded extinctions, making loss invisible and underestimated.
- Support with specific threats mentioned in the chapter (poaching, habitat loss, human encroachment, trade).
- Avoid generic statements; link undiscovered biodiversity directly to the scale of loss — that is the crux of this application-based question.
- 2 marks: one for the implication of undiscovered diversity, one for relevant threats with explanation.