With reference to wildlife conservation in India, consider the following statements: 1. The IUCN reported that 1,012 out of 7,516 assessed species are currently threatened. 2. The Asiatic lion population was recorded at 900 in 2020. 3. The Asiatic lion population reached 891 in 2025. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Asiatic lion population grows from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025

GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Species, protected areas & wetlands· Prelims· 8 October 2026

Biodiversity conservation and species recovery: a GS3 Environment and Ecology case study.

Why in news

The Government of India highlighted the growth of the Asiatic lion population from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025 during Wildlife Week.

Background

The Asiatic lion population reached 891 in 2025, up from 674 in 2020. The IUCN reported that 1,012 out of 7,516 assessed species are currently threatened.

Facts for Prelims

FactAsiatic lion population: 891 in 2025 (increased from 674 in 2020)
EnvironmentIUCN reported 1,012 threatened species out of 7,516 assessed
SchemeProject Nilgiri Tahr and Phoenix Species Project are active conservation efforts
PlaceGreat Indian Bustard chick was spotted in Kutch

Prelims practice question

With reference to wildlife conservation in India, consider the following statements:

The IUCN reported that 1,012 out of 7,516 assessed species are currently threatened.
The Asiatic lion population was recorded at 900 in 2020.
The Asiatic lion population reached 891 in 2025.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)1 and 2 only
(d)1 and 3 only

Show answer

Answer: (d) 1 and 3 only — Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is incorrect: The population was 674 in 2020.

For Mains

Q. Evaluate the effectiveness of species-specific conservation projects in ensuring the recovery of endangered fauna in India.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Habitat fragmentation: Balancing infrastructure development with the spatial requirements of large apex predators
Genetic diversity: Risks of inbreeding depression in isolated populations like the Asiatic lion
Inter-agency coordination: Synergy between state-led conservation and central biodiversity mandates

Keywords: Biodiversity conservation · Species recovery · In-situ conservation · Wildlife management · IUCN status

Read the full news →Source: The Hindu ↗

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This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.