Which one of the followings is not a cause of loss of biodiversity?

The correct answer is Option (4) → Botanical gardens and wildlife safari parks

The causes of the present rapid loss of species are called The Evil Quartet: habitat loss and fragmentation, over-exploitation, alien species invasions and co-extinctions. All four come from human activity.

(1) Alien species invasions — A cause of loss of biodiversity. An introduced species can drive native species to extinction. The Nile perch in Lake Victoria wiped out more than 200 native cichlid fish species.

(2) Habitat loss and fragmentation — A cause of loss of biodiversity. This is the most important cause. Tropical rain forests are a dramatic example.

(3) Overexploitation — A cause of loss of biodiversity. Too much use of a species by humans has pushed species such as the passenger pigeon and Steller’s sea cow to extinction.

(4) Botanical gardens and wildlife safari parks — Not a cause of loss of biodiversity. They are methods of ex situ conservation. Threatened plants and animals are taken out of their natural home and given special care there, so they help to save species.

NCERT Extract:
How Do We Conserve Biodiversity? – “… In this approach, threatened animals and plants are taken out from their natural habitat and placed in special setting where they can be protected and given special care. Zoological parks, botanical gardens and wildlife safari parks serve this purpose.”
Loss of Biodiversity – “… Causes of biodiversity losses: The accelerated rates of species extinctions that the world is facing now are largely due to human activities. There are four major causes (‘ The Evil Quartet ’ is the sobriquet used to describe them).”
Loss of Biodiversity – “… (iii) Alien species invasions: When alien species are introduced unintentionally or deliberately for whatever purpose, some of them turn invasive, and cause decline or extinction of indigenous species.”
Loss of Biodiversity – “… Many species extinctions in the last 500 years (Steller’s sea cow, passenger pigeon) were due to overexploitation by humans.”