UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 6
With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements:
- The leader of an elephant group is a female.
- The maximum gestation period can be 22 months.
- An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only.
- Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Correct Option: A (1 and 2 only)
Explanation: Wild elephant herds are usually matriarchal and gestation lasts about 20–22 months. Females may calve beyond forty; Karnataka, not Kerala, had the largest state elephant count in the 2017 census.
Statement / Pair / Item-wise Analysis:
1. Correct - Family herds are led by an experienced matriarch.
2. Correct - The long elephant pregnancy may reach approximately twenty-two months.
3. Incorrect - Female elephants may reproduce into their forties and sometimes later.
4. Incorrect - Karnataka ranked ahead of Kerala in the 2017 elephant estimation.
Option-wise Analysis:
A. Correct-includes all and only valid statements/items 1, 2.
B. Incorrect-includes incorrect item 4 (Karnataka ranked ahead of Kerala in the 2017 elephant estimation); omits correct item 1 (Family herds are led by an experienced matriarch).
C. Incorrect-includes incorrect item 3 (Female elephants may reproduce into their forties and sometimes later); omits correct item 1 (Family herds are led by an experienced matriarch); omits correct item 2 (The long elephant pregnancy may reach approximately twenty-two months).
D. Incorrect-includes incorrect item 3 (Female elephants may reproduce into their forties and sometimes later); includes incorrect item 4 (Karnataka ranked ahead of Kerala in the 2017 elephant estimation); omits correct item 2 (The long elephant pregnancy may reach approximately twenty-two months).