UPSC Prelims 2008 · General Studies
Question 25: Environment and Ecology
Consider the following statements:
- 1.Salt-water crocodile is found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- 2.Shrew and tapir are found in the Western Ghats of the Malabar region.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
AnswerThe answer is (a).
Statement 1 is right: the saltwater crocodile lives in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as well as the mangrove coasts of Odisha and the Sundarbans. Statement 2 is wrong: shrews do occur in the Western Ghats, but tapirs are not found in India; the Malayan tapir lives in South-east Asia and the other tapir species in Central and South America. One false part makes statement 2 wrong.
- 1. Saltwater crocodiles live in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- 2. Shrews occur in the Western Ghats but tapirs are not found in India.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 1 is correct, (b) and (d) go: each of them leaves 1 out.
What you needed to know: Saltwater crocodiles live in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Then, if you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (c) goes: it includes 2.
What you needed to know: Shrews occur in the Western Ghats but tapirs are not found in India.
Only (a) is left. This one needs every statement.
This follows an unofficial answer: UPSC has not published its key for this year, and if that answer is wrong, so is this path.
Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Only statement 1 holds.
- (b) Statement 2 fails, so it cannot be the only correct statement.
- (c) Statement 2 is wrong because tapirs are not found in India.
- (d) Statement 1 is true, so the claim that neither is correct is wrong.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2008, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.