Statement 1 is correct. CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) - Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) is the only laboratory in India that has developed methods for collection and cryopreservation of semen and oocytes from wildlife and successfully reproduced endangered blackbuck, spotted deer and Nicobar pigeons.

CCMB-LaCONES has established a Genetic Resource Bank for Indian wildlife. So far, genetic resources from 23 species of Indian wild animals have been collected and preserved. This facility would increase the collection of genetic resources from wildlife through collaboration with zoos in India. It would also facilitate the exchange of genetic material between the Indian zoos for maintaining genetic diversity. Conservation management is also made accessible to scientists and wildlife managers for implementing conservation programs.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Wildlife Genetic Resource Banking (GRB) is the systematic collection and preservation of tissues, sperm, eggs, embryos, genetic material (DNA/RNA).

Source)

https://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1542834

Statement 1 is incorrect. The National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it under the said Act.

Statements 2 and 3 are correct. There are 50 tiger reserves in India which are governed by Project Tiger which is administered by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). India is home to 80 percent of tigers in the world. In 2006, there were 1,411 tigers which increased to 1,706 in 2010, 2,226 in 2014 and 2967 in 2018.

Tiger Reserves are areas that are notified for the protection of the Tiger and its prey. Project Tiger was launched in 1973. 

Source)

Shankar IAS Environment Book; Page number 187

https://projecttiger.nic.in/content/111_1_Introduction.aspx

Protected areas are those in which human occupation or at least the exploitation of resources is limited. The definition that has been widely accepted across regional and global frameworks has been provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its categorization guidelines for protected areas. 

India has 870 Protected Areas which include National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves. 

• National Parks (NPs):104
• Wildlife Sanctuaries (WLSs):551
• Conservation Reserves (CRs):88
• Community Reserves:127

Conservation reserves and community reserves in India are terms denoting protected areas of India which typically act as buffer zones to or connectors and migration corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests of India.

Such areas are designated as conservation areas if they are uninhabited and completely owned by the Government of India but used for subsistence by communities and community areas if part of the lands are privately owned. These protected area categories were first introduced in the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002 − the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

These categories were added because of reduced protection in and around existing or proposed protected areas due to private ownership of land, and land use.

Source)

http://www.wiienvis.nic.in/Database/Community Reserves_8228.aspx

https://indiankanoon.org/doc/897686/

http://www.wiienvis.nic.in/Database/Protected_Area_854.aspx

The Project Snow Leopard is an Indian initiative for strengthening wildlife conservation in the Himalayan high altitudes. It was started in 2009. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect. 

This project aims at promoting a knowledge-based and adaptive conservation framework that fully involves the local communities, who share the snow leopard’s range, in conservation efforts. Project Snow Leopard is designed for all biologically important habitats within the snow leopard’s range, irrespective of their ownership (e.g. Protected Areas, common land, etc.). Hence, statement 1 is correct. 

Statement 3 is correct. The project will be operational in five Himalayan States viz. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh with active support from wildlife institute of India and the Mysore based Nature Conservation Foundation.

Source) 

Shankar IAS Environment Book; page number 196

Statement 1 is correct. River Dolphin is the National Aquatic Animal of India. This mammal is also said to represent the purity of the holy Ganga as it can only survive in pure and freshwater.

Statement 2 is incorrect. India's only Dolphin Sanctuary is Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary. It is located in Bhagalpur District of Bihar, India. The sanctuary is a 60 km stretch of the Ganges River from Sultanganj to Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur District. Designated in 1991, it is protected area for the endangered Gangetic dolphins in Asia.

Source)

https://archive.india.gov.in/knowindia/national_symbols.php?id=8

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/dolphin-population-declines-in-india-s-only-dolphin-sanctuary-61192

Statement 1 is correct. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau aims at combating organized wildlife crime in the country. Under Section 38 (Z) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, it is mandated to collect and collate intelligence related to organized wildlife crime activities and to disseminate the same to State and other enforcement agencies for immediate action so as to apprehend the criminals and to establish a centralized wildlife crime data bank.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the Government of India under the Ministry of Environment and Forests. It is headquartered in New Delhi.

The Animal Welfare Board of India, headquartered at Ballabhgarh in Haryana state, is a statutory advisory body advising the Government of India's Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. It was previously based at Chennai.

Statement 3 is correct. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau also assists and advises the Customs authorities in inspection of the consignments of flora & fauna as per the provisions of Wild Life Protection Act, CITES and EXIM Policy governing such an item. It is a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 

Source)

http://wccb.gov.in/index.aspx

https://cites.org/eng/disc/certificate_commend.ph

Statement 1 is incorrect. The concept of a VSZ is unique for the Asian continent but similar VSZ are in operation in both Europe and Africa.

Vulture safe zones or Vulture Safety Zones are areas so created can be an ideal place to reintroduce captive bred vultures back into the wild. In the future, other areas nearby can be converted into similar VSZs so that a combined larger area is eventually available for vultures to survive and multiply as a self-sustaining population. 

To conserve the remnant population of vultures and facilitate their reintroduction into the wild from breeding centres, attempts are being made to create Vulture Safe Zones in the areas where there are vulture populations.

There are eight identified vulture safe zones in India which include Pinjore in Haryana, Rajabhatkhawa in West Bengal, around Majuli Island in Assam, Bukswaha in Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Dudhwa National Park and Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh, Hazaribagh in Jharkhand, Central Gujarat and Saurashtra in Gujarat. Hence, statements2 is correct.

The initiative involves massive awareness on the issue of Diclofenac not only among people but other stakeholders like the government departments.

Source)

Shankar IAS Environment Book

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/sharp-decline-in-vulture-population-from-40-million-to-19000-prakash-javadekar/article28586530.ece

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/cliff-habitat-needs-a-vulture-safe-zone/article23906438.ece

https://www.iucn.org/content/first-vulture-safe-zone-declared-bangladesh

• The National Board for Wildlife came into existence with the Gazette Notification dated 22nd September 2003. The National Board for Wildlife has 47 members with the Prime Minister in the Chair. The Minister in charge of the Ministry of Environment & Forests in the Central Government is the Vice-Chairperson. The Additional Director General of Forests (WL) & Director, Wildlife Preservation is the Member-Secretary to the Board. Hence, statement 1 is correct. 
• The Board is responsible for the promotion of conservation and development of wildlife and forests. 
• The minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change is the Chairperson of the National Tiger Conservation Authority. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect. 
• The Animal Welfare Board of India is a statutory advisory body on Animal Welfare Laws and promotes animal welfare in the country. Established in 1962 under Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (No. 59 of 1960), the Animal Welfare Board of India was started under the stewardship of Late Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale, well known humanitarian.  The Board consists of 28 Members. The term of office of Members is for a period of 3 years. It has a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect. 

Source)

https://pib.gov.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=18417

http://www.awbi.in/about.html

https://indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_16_18_00007_197253_1517807324579§ionId=32591§ionno=5A&orderno=6