Previous Year Question
A sandy and saline area is the natural habitat of an Indian animal species. The animal has no predators in that area but its existence is threatened due to the destruction of its habitat.
Which one of the following could be that animal?
Indian wild buffalo
Indian wild ass
Indian wild boar
Indian gazelle
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
The Indian wild ass, locally known as the khur, has the scientific name Equus hemionus khur. It is a subspecies of the Asiatic wild ass. Its last major natural population is found in the Little Rann of Kachchh and the adjoining areas of Gujarat.
Habitat characteristics
The Little Rann of Kachchh is an extensive, flat and saline desert. Large parts of it become inundated during the monsoon, while in the dry season it turns into salt-encrusted soil and mudflats.
Relatively elevated areas within the Rann are locally known as bets. They are not completely submerged during the monsoon and support grasses and shrubs. These provide important feeding and shelter areas for the Indian wild ass.
The Indian wild ass is adapted to arid grasslands, scrublands, saline deserts and semi-desert conditions. It feeds on grasses, leaves, pods and other desert vegetation and can travel long distances in search of food and water.
It has no significant natural predator in the area described in the question. Nevertheless, its long-term security depends upon the quality and continuity of its natural habitat.
Major threats
Expansion of salt-manufacturing activities;
conversion of habitat into agricultural land and settlements;
fragmentation caused by roads, canals and industrial infrastructure;
competition with livestock for forage and water;
spread of the invasive Prosopis juliflora;
disease transmission from domestic animals and increasing pressure on water sources.
The principal habitat of the species in the Little Rann and adjoining areas is protected within the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary.
Why are the other options incorrect?
(a) Indian wild buffalo: Its characteristic habitats are riverine grasslands, swamps and forests near water sources, rather than the sandy and saline Rann.
(c) Indian wild boar: It occupies diverse habitats, including forests, grasslands, wetlands and agricultural landscapes, and is not restricted to the saline habitat described in the question.
(d) Indian gazelle: The chinkara occurs in arid deserts and scrublands, but the saline habitat of the Little Rann of Kachchh is specifically associated with the Indian wild ass. The chinkara also has natural predators.