2015 GS Paper I, all questions
UPSC Prelims 2015 · GS Paper I
Question 9: Environment and Ecology
Which of the following National Parks is unique in being a swamp with floating vegetation that supports a rich biodiversity?
aBhitarkanika National Park
bKeibul Lamjao National Park
cKeoladeo Ghana National Park
dSultanpur National Park
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).
Keibul Lamjao National Park in Manipur is the world's only floating national park. It sits on Loktak Lake, where mats of vegetation, soil and organic matter called phumdis float, forming a swamp with rich biodiversity. It is the last natural home of the sangai, the brow-antlered deer. Remember: Keibul Lamjao means Loktak, phumdi and sangai.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Bhitarkanika in Odisha is known for mangroves, saltwater crocodiles and Olive ridley nesting, not floating vegetation.
- (b) Correct: Keibul Lamjao in Manipur is a swamp of floating phumdis on Loktak Lake.
- (c) Keoladeo Ghana in Rajasthan is a wetland and bird sanctuary, famous for migratory birds, but its vegetation does not float.
- (d) Sultanpur in Haryana is a lake-based bird sanctuary, not a floating swamp.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.