Endangered Species of India — Set 16

Correct Answer: B. Musk pod

The Himalayan Musk Deer (Moschus leucogaster) is heavily poached for its musk pod — a gland in the male deer that produces musk, a highly valuable ingredient in perfumes and traditional medicines. It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. In India, it is found in the Himalayan states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. One kilogram of musk can fetch thousands of dollars on the black market.

Correct Answer: B. Incisor teeth

Elephant tusks are greatly elongated incisor teeth, not canines. In Asian Elephants, only males typically develop prominent tusks, whereas in African Bush Elephants, both males and females develop tusks. Tuskless males (called 'Makhnas' in India) are also found, particularly in the northeast and south. The ivory of elephant tusks is composed of dentine and has been the primary driver of elephant poaching globally.

Correct Answer: C. 18

As of the 2022 Tiger Census, tigers are found in 18 states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. India's 53 tiger reserves span these states. Some states have very small populations (like Mizoram and Bihar) while others like Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka have hundreds.

Correct Answer: B. Western Ghats

The Nilgiri Marten (Martes gwatkinsii) is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is endemic to the Western Ghats of South India. It is the only marten found in South India, found in forests from the Nilgiri Hills through the Anaimalai Hills. It belongs to the weasel family (Mustelidae) and is primarily a canopy-dwelling carnivore that feeds on birds, small mammals, and fruits.

Correct Answer: B. Northeast Indian states

The Rufous-necked Hornbill (Aceros nipalensis) is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is found in the forests of Northeast India, including Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Assam. It is also found in Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and China. Like all hornbills, it plays an important ecological role as a seed disperser. It faces threats from hunting and habitat loss due to shifting cultivation.

Correct Answer: B. It is requested by individual countries for species they need international cooperation to control

CITES Appendix III lists species at the request of a single country that needs international cooperation to prevent unsustainable or illegal exploitation within its borders. Any CITES member country can include a species in Appendix III at any time, unlike Appendices I and II which require agreement from all member countries through a vote at the Conference of the Parties. India has listed several species under Appendix III.

Correct Answer: D. Community watch centers along rivers

'Dolphin Ghar' (Dolphin Houses) are community-based surveillance and monitoring units established along key rivers where Gangetic Dolphins are found. These centers involve local communities, particularly fishermen, as stewards of the dolphin population. They report dolphin sightings, incidents of entanglement in fishing nets, and illegal fishing activities. This community engagement model is part of the broader Project Dolphin conservation strategy.

Correct Answer: C. Vulnerable

The Mugger Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), also called the Marsh Crocodile or Broad-snouted Crocodile, is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. It is found throughout India in freshwater habitats including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and marshes. The Mugger Crocodile is one of three crocodilian species in India (the others being the Gharial and Saltwater Crocodile) and is the most widespread and adaptable of the three.

Correct Answer: B. National Mission for a Green India

The National Mission for a Green India (GIM) is one of the eight national missions under India's National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). It aims to protect, restore, and enhance India's diminishing forest cover and respond to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures. The mission targets increasing forest and tree cover on 5 million hectares and improving forest quality on another 5 million hectares over a 10-year period.

Correct Answer: C. Passage migrant

The Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Calidris pygmaea) is a Critically Endangered shorebird that breeds in Russia and winters in Southeast Asia. It passes through India's coastal wetlands as a passage migrant, particularly along the Bay of Bengal coast. Its global population is estimated at fewer than 600 individuals. Conservation efforts involve protecting its breeding, staging, and wintering habitats across multiple countries in its flyway.