Tiger conservation under Project Tiger is described as serving a dual purpose. Explain what these two purposes are and why both are significant.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:29 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Project Tiger was launched in 1973 with two purposes:
- Saving an endangered species – Tiger population had drastically fallen from an estimated 55,000 to just 1,827 due to poaching, habitat loss, and depletion of prey. Conservation was urgently needed to prevent extinction.
- Preserving biotypes of sizeable magnitude – Tiger reserves protect large, intact ecosystems, thereby safeguarding biodiversity and ecological balance beyond just the tiger.
Both purposes are significant: the first ensures survival of a key species in the faunal web, while the second protects entire habitats that support countless other species and maintain ecological diversity.
Source: Project Tiger, Chapter 2
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Explanation
- The question directly targets the line: "Tiger conservation has been viewed not only as an effort to save an endangered species, but with equal importance as a means of preserving biotypes of sizeable magnitude." Examiners expect both points to be clearly identified and explained.
- "Biotypes" is a key term — it means distinct ecological habitats/ecosystems. Mentioning it scores well.
- For 3 marks: name both purposes (1 mark each) + explain significance (1 mark). Keep it under ~80 words.