Question 15 from UPSC CSE 2019 - Environment

Question

Consider the following statements:
1. Asiatic lion is naturally found in India only.
2. Double-humped camel is naturally found in India only.
3. One-horned rhinoceros is naturally found in India only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. 1 only

Strategy: Focus on the unique distribution of the species. The Asiatic lion is the only one with a wild population exclusively in India, making its statement correct while the others are not.

Key Info: **Species Distribution Details**

**Asiatic lion**
- Confined in the wild exclusively to the Gir Forest region of Gujarat, India.
- This is the only wild population worldwide, making the species endemic to India.

**Double-humped camel (Bactrian camel)**
- Native to the cold deserts and steppes of Central Asia, including Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan.
- Found in India within the Ladakh region, notably the Nubra Valley.
- Not endemic to India.

**One-horned rhinoceros (Indian rhinoceros)**
- Inhabits riverine grasslands across the Indian subcontinent.
- Largest populations are in northeastern India, particularly Kaziranga and Pobitora in Assam.
- Also natively present in Nepal, notably Chitwan National Park, and historically in parts of Bangladesh.

**Conservation Note**
- Conservation efforts are significant for all three species.
- The Asiatic lion's confinement to a single location makes it extremely vulnerable to epidemics or natural disasters.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: 2 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: 1 and 3 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: 1, 2, and 3

Consider the following statements: Asiatic lion is naturally found in India only. Double-humped camel is naturally found in India only. One-horned rhinoceros is naturally found in India only. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements:

Asiatic lion is naturally found in India only.

Double-humped camel is naturally found in India only.

One-horned rhinoceros is naturally found in India only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?