Assertion (A): Biodiversity hotspots are regions characterized by exceptionally high levels of species richness and endemism.

Reason (R): Many species found in biodiversity hotspots are unique and can also be found elsewhere in the world.

A is true, but R is false.

The correct answer is Option (3) - A is true, but R is false.

Biodiversity hotspots are regions with very high levels of species richness and high degree of endemism (that is, species confined to that region and not found anywhere else). These hotspots are also regions of accelerated habitat loss. Three of these hotspots – Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, Indo-Burma and Himalaya – cover our country’s exceptionally high biodiversity regions. Although all the biodiversity hotspots put together cover less than 2 per cent of the earth’s land area, the number of species they collectively harbour is extremely high and strict protection of these hotspots could reduce the ongoing mass extinctions by almost 30 per cent. In India, ecologically unique and biodiversity-rich regions are legally protected as biosphere reserves, national parks and sanctuaries.