Previous Year Question

Statement 1 is correct: The natural wild population of the Asiatic lion is presently found only in India.

The Asiatic lion is commonly known by the scientific name Panthera leo persica.

Its last natural wild population occurs in Gujarat’s Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary and the surrounding wider Saurashtra landscape.

Apart from Gir, Asiatic lions have expanded into Girnar, Mitiyala and certain coastal and agro-forest areas of Saurashtra.

Historically, the Asiatic lion ranged from West Asia to the Indian subcontinent, but its natural wild population outside India became extinct.

The Asiatic lion is generally slightly smaller than the African lion and has a prominent longitudinal fold of skin along its abdomen.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The double-humped or Bactrian camel is not naturally found only in India.

The scientific name of the domestic Bactrian camel is Camelus bactrianus, and apart from Ladakh in India, it occurs in the cold and arid desert regions of Central Asia, Mongolia and China.

Its two humps store fat, and it is adapted to extreme cold, high altitudes and conditions of scarce food and water.

The wild Bactrian camel, Camelus ferus, is a separate species with an extremely restricted wild population found mainly in China and Mongolia.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The one-horned rhinoceros is naturally found in Nepal as well as India.

The scientific name of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros is Rhinoceros unicornis, and it is associated with alluvial grasslands, marshes and riverine forests of the Terai.

Its major populations in India occur in Kaziranga, Pobitora, Orang and Manas in Assam and in certain protected areas of West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

Its natural population in Nepal occurs in Terai protected areas such as Chitwan, Bardia and Shuklaphanta.

Therefore, only the natural wild population of the Asiatic lion is restricted to India. Hence, only statement 1 is correct.