Question

Which of these are the pastoral communities of the mountains?
A) Bhotiyas and Sherpas
B) Gujjars
C) Gaddis
D) All of these

Answer 1

Hint: A mountain is a raised section of the Earth's crust with steep sides and exposed bedrock. A mountain is larger than a hill and has a smaller summit area than a plateau, rising at least 300 metres (1000 feet) above the surrounding plain.

Complete answer:
Pastoralism is a style of animal husbandry in which domesticated animals known as livestock are released onto large vegetated outdoor fields (pastures) for grazing by nomadic people who once roamed the countryside with their herds. Cattle, camels, goats, yaks, llamas, reindeer, horses, and sheep are among the animals involved in the competition.

Herding domesticated cattle is disproportionately important in pastoral societies for livelihood. Livestock is used in a variety of horticultural, agrarian, and industrial farming systems. The way communal life is structured around the needs of the herds is perhaps the most essential distinguishing feature.

The Gujjar Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir, the Gaddi shepherds of Himachal Pradesh, the Bhotiyas, Sherpas, and Kinnauris of the Himalayas, the Dhangars of Maharashtra, the Gollas, Kurumas, and Kurubas of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and the Banjaras of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab are among the most prominent pastoral communities of the mountains in India.

Pastoral systems in the mountains are undergoing tremendous change. Overgrazing, overharvesting, intensification of livestock production in response to growing populations and market demands, competing for land uses encroaching on pastoral grounds and resources, and new borders limiting transhumant population migration are all issues in some parts of the world.

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘D’.

Note: Changes in mountain pastoral social-ecological systems, when combined with climate change and other drivers and disturbances, can lead to deterioration, lowering the supply of ecosystem services, incurring livelihood losses, and, most significantly, jeopardising the systems' long-term viability.