Map Based GK — Set 3

Correct Answer: A. Eastern Himalayas

• **Eastern Himalayas** = the geographical region of Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh, unique for housing four big cat species: tiger, leopard, snow leopard, and clouded leopard. • **Altitude range 200 m to 4,500 m** — Namdapha spans one of the widest altitude ranges of any Indian park, resulting in extraordinary biodiversity. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Western Himalayas: contains Hemis, Great Himalayan, Pin Valley parks; Central Highlands: includes Kanha, Pench, Bandhavgarh; Western Ghats: contains Silent Valley, Periyar, Nilgiri parks.

Correct Answer: B. Bandipur

• **Bandipur National Park** = located in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka, established as a Project Tiger reserve in 1974, forming one of India's largest protected forest areas. • **Bandipur + Wayanad + Mudumalai** — these three parks spanning Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu together form one of India's largest contiguous forest blocks. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Corbett: in Uttarakhand; Periyar: in Kerala's Idukki district; Kanha: in Madhya Pradesh.

Correct Answer: C. Ganga and Brahmaputra

• **Ganga and Brahmaputra** = the two major rivers whose delta forms the Sundarbans, along with the Meghna, in the Bay of Bengal — the world's largest delta. • **Sundari trees** — the name 'Sundarbans' comes from the Sundari mangrove trees (Heritiera fomes) dominant in this ecosystem, a key map identification fact. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Indus and Jhelum: rivers in northwestern India/Pakistan, no mangrove delta; Mahanadi and Godavari: eastern rivers forming separate deltas on Odisha and Andhra coasts; Narmada and Tapti: west-flowing rivers emptying into Gulf of Khambhat.

Correct Answer: A. Uttar Pradesh

• **Uttar Pradesh** = location of Dudhwa National Park in Lakhimpur Kheri district near the Nepal border, representing a classic Terai ecosystem. • **Dudhwa Tiger Reserve** — Dudhwa forms part of this larger reserve along with Kishanpur and Katarniaghat sanctuaries, all within the Terai grassland zone. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Bihar: has Valmiki National Park (its only national park); Uttarakhand: has Jim Corbett, not Dudhwa; Madhya Pradesh: has multiple parks but Dudhwa is in the UP Terai.

Correct Answer: B. West Bengal

• **West Bengal** = has the highest mangrove cover in India, primarily due to the vast Sundarbans mangrove forest along its coast. • **Gujarat is second** — Gujarat holds the second-largest mangrove area in India; mangroves provide vital coastal protection against cyclones and tsunamis. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Andaman and Nicobar Islands: significant mangrove cover but less than West Bengal; Andhra Pradesh: has Coringa mangroves but third rank; Gujarat: second largest mangrove cover, not the largest.

Correct Answer: C. Assam

• **Assam** = location of Manas National Park in the Himalayan foothills, sharing a border with Bhutan's Royal Manas National Park. • **Pygmy Hog and Golden Langur** — two of the most critically endangered species found exclusively in Manas, both flagship species for conservation. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Arunachal Pradesh: has Namdapha National Park; West Bengal: has Sundarbans; Sikkim: has Kanchendzonga National Park.

Correct Answer: A. Periyar

• **Periyar National Park** = located in Idukki district of Kerala, centered on a large artificial lake created by the Mullaperiyar Dam, famous for elephants and tigers. • **Mullaperiyar Dam lake** — the artificial reservoir at Periyar's core is a defining map feature; this large water body supports the park's diverse wildlife. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Bandipur: in Karnataka's Chamarajanagar district; Mudumalai: in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris district; Nagarhole: in Karnataka's Kodagu and Mysore districts.

Correct Answer: C. Uttarakhand

• **Uttarakhand** = location of Valley of Flowers in North Chamoli district, renowned for endemic alpine flowers and paired with Nanda Devi NP as a UNESCO World Heritage site. • **UNESCO World Heritage** — the Valley of Flowers together with Nanda Devi National Park forms this joint heritage site in the high-altitude Western Himalayas of Uttarakhand. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Sikkim: has Kanchendzonga NP; Jammu and Kashmir: has Dachigam NP and Hemis NP (in Ladakh); Himachal Pradesh: has Great Himalayan NP.

Correct Answer: A. Madhya Pradesh

• **Madhya Pradesh** = home of Kanha National Park, the largest national park in the state, famous for saving the Barasingha (swamp deer) from extinction. • **Barasingha conservation** — the hard-ground Barasingha was saved from extinction at Kanha, making it a landmark conservation success in India. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Maharashtra: has Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, not Kanha; Uttar Pradesh: has Dudhwa National Park; Chhattisgarh: separated from MP in 2000, Kanha remains in MP.

Correct Answer: B. Gujarat

• **Gujarat** = location of the Gulf of Kutch Marine National Park in Devbhumi Dwarka district, established in 1982 as India's first marine national park. • **42 islands with coral reefs** — the park comprises an archipelago of 42 islands surrounded by coral reefs, making it a unique marine protected area on India's western coast. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Maharashtra: has coastal areas along Arabian Sea but no marine national park; Tamil Nadu: has Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve off its southeastern coast; Odisha: has Bhitarkanika mangroves on its eastern coast.