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Q27 (IAS/2020) Environment & Ecology › Biodiversity & Protected Areas › Flagship species ecology Official Key

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 :

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: A
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 1 (1 and 2 only). The Himalayan Musk Deer (Moschus leucogaster) is native to high-altitude alpine environments, typically found at elevations between 2,500m and 4,500m in the Himalayas.

  • Askot Wildlife Sanctuary: Located in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, it is specifically known as the "Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary," established primarily to protect this species.
  • Gangotri National Park: Situated in the high-altitude region of Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, its sub-alpine and alpine ecosystems provide the ideal natural habitat for the musk deer.
  • Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary: Located in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, it consists of tropical moist deciduous forests, which are unsuitable for high-altitude musk deer.
  • Manas National Park: Located in the foothills of Assam, it features a tropical climate and grasslands, habitats naturally alien to the musk deer.

Therefore, since musk deer are restricted to the high Himalayan landscape, only sites 1 and 2 are geographically and ecologically appropriate.

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Q. Which of the following are the most likely places to find the musk deer in its natural habitat ? 1. Askot Wildlife Sanctuary 2. Gangotri …
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 7.5/10
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This is a classic 'Habitat Mismatch' trap. You aren't expected to visit every park, but you must know that Musk Deer are 'Alpine' (High Altitude) specialists. Askot is literally named 'Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary', acting as the anchor. The strategy is to filter parks by Elevation (Alpine vs. Terai/Plains).

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Are musk deer (genus Moschus) naturally found in Askot Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarakhand, India?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Askot Wildlife Sanctuary Uttarakhand, India Kali River, tributaries Musk Deer (Endangered), Himalayan"
Why this source?
  • The passage lists Askot Wildlife Sanctuary and explicitly names Musk Deer (Endangered) among its present animals.
  • Gives the sanctuary location as Uttarakhand, India, matching the geographic part of the statement.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > Table 4.10 (Contd.) > p. 39
Strength: 4/5
“• National Park/Sanctuaries: 10. Dachigam; State/States: Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir); Dominant Species Protected: Musk-deer, hangul, leopard, black-bear, deer, brown-bear, serow • National Park/Sanctuaries: 11. Dampa National Park and Tiger Reserves; State/States: Mizoram; Dominant Species Protected: Elephant, chital, panther, deer, hyena and wild boar • National Park/Sanctuaries: 12. Desert sanctuary; State/States: Jaisalmer (Rajasthan); Dominant Species Protected: Great Indian Bustard, black-buck, deer, nilgai, chinkara, wild-boar, etc. • National Park/Sanctuaries: 13. Dudhwa National Park and Tiger Reserve; State/States: Lakhimpur-Kheri (Ut tar Pradesh); Dominant Species Protected: Tiger, panther, hyena, sloth-bear, sambar, swamp-deer, chital, hog-deer, barking deer, nil gai, pea-fowl, jungle-fowl, partridge, etc. • National Park/Sanctuaries: 14.”
Why relevant

Lists Dachigam (a Himalayan protected area) as protecting 'Musk-deer', showing musk deer occur in Himalayan national parks.

How to extend

A student could note that if Dachigam (in the Himalaya) has musk deer, other Himalayan sanctuaries (e.g., in Uttarakhand) at suitable altitudes might also host them and then check Askot's altitude and habitat.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 11: Schedule Animals of WPA 1972 > ENVIRONMENT > p. 175
Strength: 5/5
“u Et-M No*: 20.; CtnsmonName': Himalayan Musk Deer; Categrry: Endangered; Ranc-s- Destriptian: Himaiayan of Bhutan, North India (Sikkim), Nepal & China; Habitat& Enokrgy: Alpine environment, barren plateaus at high altitude meadows, fell fields, shurblands forest; Major,ihrefi: r. Hunting for Meat. e. Trade - Musk gland - Cosmetic / Pharrnaceutical No*: 27,; CtnsmonName': Indian Parrgolin; Categrry: Endangered; Ranc-s- Destriptian: South asia, Eastern Part of pak to lndia (Except l All Rights Reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced in any lbrm or by anv neans, without pernission in u'riting”
Why relevant

Gives the stated range for 'Himalayan Musk Deer' as 'Himalayan of Bhutan, North India (Sikkim), Nepal & China' and describes alpine/high-altitude habitats.

How to extend

A student could compare Askot's location in the Indian Himalaya and its alpine habitats to this range to judge plausibility of musk deer presence.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 16: Conservation Efforts > 16'6. Why to conserve the high altitude ecosystem? > p. 241
Strength: 5/5
“16. 6.2. Why to conserve the high altitude ecosystem? • The high altitudes of India (> 3,000 m. to 13,000 km', including the Himalaya and Trans-Himalaya biogeographic zones) support a unique wildlife assemblage of global conservation importance.• This includes highly endangered populations of species such as the snow leopard, two species of bears, wolf, red panda, mountain ungulates such as the wild yak, chiru, Tibetan gazelle, Tibetan argali, Ladakh urial, two species of musk deer, the hangul, three species of goral, serow, and takin, etc.”
Why relevant

Notes that high-altitude Indian Himalaya (>3,000 m) support 'two species of musk deer' among other mountain ungulates.

How to extend

A student could check whether Askot includes similar high-altitude zones (~3,000 m) where musk deer are known to occur.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 16: Conservation Efforts > 16.6. PROJECT SI{OW LEOPARD :t: > p. 240
Strength: 4/5
“I 1 i i : \ \ \ l \ ) i I States/UTs of Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunanchal Pradesh. The cold-desert ecosystem of the Indian Trans-Himalaya also supports other unique wildlife, such as Pallas's cat, Eurasian lynx, black-necked crane, Tibetan gazelle, Tibetan argali and kiang. Due to the large home range sizes of snow leopard, it's considered as the 'flagship' for conservation of the Indian Himalayas under the Government of India's Project Snow Leopard. They are categorized as ,Vulnerable, by IUCN and in the Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (protection) Act 1972, and the J&K Wildlife (protection) Act 1972.”
Why relevant

Describes the Project Snow Leopard states (including Uttarakhand) and links cold/high-altitude Himalayan ecosystems to unique wildlife assemblages.

How to extend

Since Uttarakhand is listed among states with these cold Himalayan ecosystems, a student could infer musk-deer habitat may occur in parts of the state (then examine Askot's specific ecosystem).

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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