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Environment & EcologyEasyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2016, GS Paper I

In which of the following regions of India are you most likely to come across the 'Great Indian Hornbill' in its natural habitat?

  1. A.Sand deserts of northwest India
  2. B.Higher Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir
  3. C.Salt marshes of western Gujarat
  4. D.Western Ghats

Correct answer

D. Western Ghats

Explanation

The correct answer is D, Western Ghats. The Great Hornbill lives in tall, evergreen and moist deciduous forests, and the Western Ghats are one of its two main homes in India.

The Great Indian Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) is a large fruit-eating bird with a yellow-and-black casque on top of its huge bill. In India it is found in the forests of the Western Ghats and of the north-east and the Himalayan foothills. It needs old, tall trees with natural holes for nesting; the female seals herself inside with mud and droppings while the male feeds her through a narrow slit. It is the state bird of Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh, and the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland is named after the hornbill family.

A is wrong: the sand deserts of the Thar have no tall fruiting forests, the habitat the bird needs.

B is wrong: the cold, high Himalaya of Jammu and Kashmir lacks the tropical forests hornbills live in.

C is wrong: the salt marshes of the Rann of Kutch are treeless wetlands.

Exam tip: Great Hornbill = Western Ghats and north-east forests; state bird of Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh.

Practice Questions

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Q2.Environment & EcologyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2019, GKMedium

Which one of the following statements about the National Green Tribunal is not correct?

  1. A.It was set up in the year 2010.
  2. B.It is involved in effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests.
  3. C.It may consider giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and property.
  4. D.It is bound by the procedures laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.
Show answer
Correct answer: D. It is bound by the procedures laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.

The National Green Tribunal is not bound by the Code of Civil Procedure; it is guided by the principles of natural justice.

Q3.Environment & EcologyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2018, GKHard

Consider the following statements about National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP) of India for 2017-2031:

1. This is the Third National Wildlife Action Plan.

2. The NWAP is unique as this is the first time India has recognized the concerns relating to climate change impact on wildlife.

3. The NWAP has ten components.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.1 and 2 only
  3. C.2 and 3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 1 and 2 only

The plan for 2017-2031 is India's third National Wildlife Action Plan and the first to deal with the impact of climate change on wildlife, but it has five components, not ten.