Endangered Species of India — Set 10

Correct Answer: C. Both are same species

The Sangai Festival is named after the Sangai, which is the Brow-antlered Deer (Rucervus eldii eldii). The Sangai and Brow-antlered Deer are the same species — 'Sangai' being the local Meitei name for the Manipur Brow-antlered Deer. The annual Sangai Festival celebrated in November in Imphal promotes tourism and cultural heritage of Manipur while also raising awareness about the endangered Sangai deer.

Correct Answer: C. Captive breeding and reintroduction

Mountain Nyala, Spanish Lynx, and Arabian Oryx were saved from near-extinction using captive breeding and reintroduction programs, similar to India's approach for species like the Cheetah, Gharial, and Pygmy Hog. India's Project Cheetah (2022) reintroduced African Cheetahs from Namibia to Kuno National Park using a similar strategy. Captive breeding programs are coordinated globally through Species Survival Plans managed by zoo associations.

Correct Answer: B. Large rivers with sandy banks

Both the Indian Skimmer and the Gharial share habitat in large rivers with sandy banks, particularly the Chambal, Ganga, Son, and Mahanadi rivers. The Indian Skimmer nests on mid-river sandbars, while Gharials also nest on sandy riverbanks and use these rivers for their aquatic life. The National Chambal Sanctuary is a key protected area for both species and is one of India's most important river sanctuaries.

Correct Answer: D. Ganga Prahari scheme

The Ganga Prahari (Ganga Guardian) scheme involves local fishermen as protectors and monitors of the Ganga river ecosystem, particularly for the Gangetic Dolphin. Volunteers are trained and equipped to report dolphin sightings, poaching incidents, and threats. This community-based conservation approach has been effective in creating local ownership of river conservation and reducing dolphin mortalities due to fishing gear entanglement.

Correct Answer: B. Manas National Park

The Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme, established in 1995, has been reintroducing captive-bred pygmy hogs into Manas National Park and Sonai-Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam. The programme is run by the Pygmy Hog Research & Breeding Centre in Guwahati in partnership with Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and state forest departments. Manas National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, provides suitable tall grassland habitat for the pygmy hog.

Correct Answer: B. 4

India has four biodiversity hotspots as identified by Conservation International: the Himalaya, Indo-Burma (Eastern Himalaya and Northeast India), Western Ghats & Sri Lanka, and Sundaland (which includes the Nicobar Islands). Biodiversity hotspots are regions with high endemism that have lost more than 70% of their original habitat. India's hotspots together harbor thousands of endemic plant and animal species found nowhere else on Earth.

Correct Answer: B. Arrival by sea

'Arribada' is a Spanish word meaning 'arrival by sea,' used to describe the phenomenon of hundreds of thousands of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles coming ashore simultaneously to nest at specific beaches. This behavior is unique to Olive Ridley and Kemp's Ridley turtles. India's Gahirmatha beach in Odisha is one of the world's largest Arribada sites, with up to 500,000 turtles nesting in a single season.

Correct Answer: C. All Gyps vulture species

Project Vulture (or the Vulture Conservation Programme) in India targets all Gyps vulture species, particularly the three that experienced catastrophic population crashes: White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus), and Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris). All three are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. The ban on veterinary Diclofenac in 2006 and Vulture Safe Zones are key components of this program.

Correct Answer: B. It grazes on seagrass beds like cattle grazing on grass

The Dugong (Dugong dugon) is called 'sea cow' because it grazes continuously on seagrass beds at the bottom of shallow coastal waters, similar to how cattle graze on terrestrial grass. It is the only strictly herbivorous marine mammal. Dugongs depend entirely on seagrass for nutrition, and degradation of seagrass habitats due to pollution, trawling, and coastal development is a primary threat to their population in India.

Correct Answer: C. Assam

Manas National Park is located in Assam along the India-Bhutan border and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tiger Reserve, Elephant Reserve, and Biosphere Reserve. It is the primary reintroduction site for the Pygmy Hog. The park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage in Danger list from 1992 to 2011 due to political unrest but was removed after conservation conditions improved.