Question 52 from UPSC CSE 2016 - Environment

Question

In which of the following regions of India are you most likely to come across the 'Great Indian Hornbill' in its natural habitat?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: D. Western Ghats

Strategy: Identify the Great Indian Hornbill's preferred habitat as dense evergreen and moist deciduous forests. Systematically evaluate each option, eliminating unsuitable environments like deserts, salt marshes, and alpine regions to pinpoint the correct geographical location.

Key Info: The Great Indian Hornbill (*Buceros bicornis*), also known as the Great Pied Hornbill, is a prominent species found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
*   **Habitat**: It primarily inhabits dense evergreen and moist deciduous forests, particularly in hilly regions. Its presence indicates a healthy forest ecosystem.
*   **Distribution in India**: In India, its key habitats include the Western Ghats (covering Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra) and the North-Eastern Himalayas (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram).
*   **Diet**: It is largely frugivorous, consuming fruits, but also preys on small mammals, reptiles, and insects. Its role as a seed disperser is crucial for forest regeneration.
*   **Conservation Status**: It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is protected under Schedule I of India's Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, affording it the highest level of legal protection.
*   **Threats**: Major threats include habitat loss due to deforestation, hunting for its meat and casque, and poaching for traditional medicine.
*   **Unsuitable Habitats**:
    *   **Sand deserts of northwest India**: Characterized by arid conditions and sparse vegetation, unsuitable for forest-dwelling birds.
    *   **Higher Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir**: Predominantly alpine and temperate regions, which do not provide the tropical/subtropical forest environment preferred by the Great Indian Hornbill.
    *   **Salt marshes of western Gujarat**: These are coastal wetland ecosystems, distinct from the dense forest habitats required by hornbills.

Answer

Option A: Sand deserts of northwest India

Answer

Option B: Higher Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir

Answer

Option C: Salt marshes of western Gujarat