Which of the following are the most likely places to find the musk deer in its natural habitat ? 1. Askot Wildlife Sanctuary 2. Gangotri National Park 3. Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary 4. Manas National Park Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- (a) 1 and 2 only ✓ UPSC's answer
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 3 and 4 only
- (d) 1 and 4 only
Why the answer is (a)
• The Himalayan musk deer lives in alpine forests and scrub at 2,500–4,500 m in the western and central Himalaya.
• Askot Wildlife Sanctuary (Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand) (1) was created specifically to protect musk deer, and Gangotri National Park (2) in the high Uttarkashi Himalaya is prime habitat.
• Kishanpur WLS (3) is a Terai wetland-grassland (Dudhwa) with swamp deer; Manas NP (4) is Assam's sub-Himalayan grassland-forest — neither is musk-deer habitat.
• Hence 1 and 2 only, option (a).
Why the other options are wrong
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- Kishanpur is a Terai sanctuary, not alpine musk-deer habitat.
- (c) 3 and 4 only
- Neither Kishanpur nor Manas is musk-deer habitat.
- (d) 1 and 4 only
- Manas is a lowland park; Gangotri, not Manas, has musk deer.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2020, held on 4 October 2020. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.