UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 66
Consider the following fauna of India:
- Gharial
- Leatherback turtle
- Swamp deer
Which of the above is/are endangered?
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Correct Option: C
Explanation: Gharial, leatherback sea turtle and swamp deer all face conservation threats and were treated as endangered/threatened in the 2013 examination framing.
Statement/Pair-wise Analysis:
Statement/Item 1: Correct - Gharial is Critically Endangered and highly threatened in Indian rivers.
Statement/Item 2: Correct - Leatherback turtle is a threatened marine turtle; Indian Ocean nesting populations face serious threats.
Statement/Item 3: Correct - Swamp deer (barasingha) faced habitat loss and is a conservation-priority Indian cervid.
Option-wise Analysis:
A: Incorrect - excludes true item 3.
B: Incorrect - excludes true items 1, 2.
C: Correct - selects all and only the accurate statements/pairs.
D: Incorrect - excludes true items 1, 2, 3.
Review Note: Modern IUCN global assessments distinguish threatened categories (for example, leatherback as Vulnerable globally and barasingha as Vulnerable). The word “endangered” is used broadly in this exam item; do not equate all three with the precise IUCN Endangered category.