Question

There are many animals, which have become extinct in the wild, but continue to be maintained in zoological parks. Answer the questions that follow :

(a) What type of bio-diversity conservation is observed in this case ?

(b) Explain any other two ways which help in this type of conservation.

(c) Besides zoological parks, mention one place that serves this purpose.

Hint:

Keeping species outside their habitat is ex situ conservation; cryopreservation and seed banks help; botanical gardens also serve.

Answer 1

Step 1: Identify the type (part a):
Animals kept in zoological parks are protected outside their natural habitat. This is ex situ conservation (off-site conservation).

Step 2: Other ways of ex situ conservation (part b):
Way 1: Cryopreservation. Gametes of threatened species are stored in viable and fertile condition at very low temperature, about -196 degrees C in liquid nitrogen. They can be used later for in vitro fertilisation.
Way 2: Seed banks and in vitro (tissue culture) propagation. Seeds of different genetic strains are stored in seed banks, and plants are multiplied from tissue culture to save threatened species.

Step 3: Another place (part c):
Botanical gardens also serve this purpose. They hold living plant species outside their wild habitat for conservation and research. Aquaria and seed banks are other valid answers.

Final Answer:
(a) Ex situ conservation. (b) Any two: cryopreservation of gametes, in vitro fertilisation, tissue culture, seed banks. (c) Botanical garden.