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Q17 (IAS/2023) Science & Technology › Basic Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) › Animal diversity behaviour Official Key

Consider the following statements regarding the Indian squirrels : 1. They build nests by making burrows in the ground. 2. They store their food materials like nuts and seeds in the ground. 3. They are omnivorous. How many of the above statements are correct?

Result
Your answer:  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 2 (Only two). This question requires distinguishing between the general characteristics of squirrels and the specific behaviors of Indian species, primarily the Indian Palm Squirrel.

  • Statement 1 is incorrect: Indian Palm Squirrels are arboreal; they typically build nests (dreys) on tree branches using twigs, grass, and fiber, rather than burrowing in the ground. Ground-burrowing is characteristic of ground squirrels, which are not native to the Indian landscape.
  • Statement 2 is correct: Like many rodents, Indian squirrels exhibit "caching" behavior. They frequently bury nuts, seeds, and food materials in the ground to consume later during periods of scarcity.
  • Statement 3 is correct: Indian squirrels are omnivorous. While their primary diet consists of fruits, nuts, and seeds, they are known to consume insects, bird eggs, and occasionally small reptiles or chicks.

Since statements 2 and 3 are scientifically accurate for Indian species, Only two statements are correct.

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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Consider the following statements regarding the Indian squirrels : 1. They build nests by making burrows in the ground. 2. They store the…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 6.7/10
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This is a classic 'Observation vs. Cartoon' trap. The examiner tests if you know the specific ecology of *Indian* tropical squirrels (arboreal, non-hibernating) or if you are relying on Western media tropes (temperate squirrels burying nuts for winter). Standard books fail here; common sense and backyard observation win.

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
Do Indian squirrels build nests by making burrows in the ground?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Tree squirrels typically live in wooded areas, since they prefer to live in trees. Ground squirrels live up to their names. They dig burrows, a system of tunnels underground, to live in."
Why this source?
  • Distinguishes tree vs. ground squirrels, showing only ground squirrels dig burrows.
  • Implies species that live in trees (typical of many Indian tree squirrels) do not dig underground burrows.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"The sciurids include the arboreal tree squirrels and ground-living forms (ground squirrels, marmots, chipmunks, and prairie dogs), which often live in burrows."
Why this source?
  • States the squirrel family includes both arboreal and ground-living forms.
  • Explicitly notes ground-living forms often live in burrows, supporting that burrowing is characteristic of ground squirrels (not all squirrels).

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Table 5.8 > p. 50
Strength: 5/5
“• Col1: 9.; Biosphere Reserve: Dibru-Saikhowa; Col3: 1997; Geographical Area in km2: 0765; States: Arunachal Pradesh; Main Fauna: Golden langur • Col1: 10.; Biosphere Reserve: Dihang-Dibang; Col3: 1998; Geographical Area in km2: 5111; States: Arunachal Pradesh; Main Fauna: Musk deer, Mishmi takin, red goral, Asiatic black bear • Col1: 11.; Biosphere Reserve: Panchmarhi*; Col3: 1999; Geographical Area in km2: 4928; States: Madhya Pradesh; Main Fauna: Giant squirrel, flying squirrel • Col1: 12.; Biosphere Reserve: Kangchendzonga; Col3: 2000; Geographical Area in km2: 2931; States: Sikkim (Kanchenjunga); Main Fauna: Red panda, snow leopard • Col1: 13.; Biosphere Reserve: Agasthymalai; Col3: 2001; Geographical Area in km2: 3500; States: Kerala; Main Fauna: Nilgiri tahr, elephants • Col1: 14.; Biosphere Reserve: Achanakmar Amarkantak; Col3: 2005; Geographical Area in km2: 3835; States: Madhya Pradesh; Main Fauna: Blackbuck, chinkara, wolves, giant squirrels • Col1: 15.; Biosphere Reserve: Kutch; Col3: 2008; Geographical Area in km2: 12,454; States: Gujarat; Main Fauna: Indian wild ass • Col1: 16.; Biosphere Reserve: Cold Desert; Col3: 2009; Geographical Area in km2: 7770; States: Lahaul-Spiti and Ladakh; Main Fauna: Snow leopard • Col1: 17.; Biosphere Reserve: Sheshachalam; Col3: 2010; Geographical Area in km2: 4756; States: Andhra Pradesh; Main Fauna: Slender loris and pangolin (critically endangered species) • Col1: 18.; Biosphere Reserve: Panna; Col3: 2011; Geographical Area in km2: 2999; States: Madhya Pradesh; Main Fauna: Tiger, chital, chinkara, sambhar and sloth bear • Col1: ; Biosphere Reserve: Total; Col3: ; Geographical Area in km2: 84,668; States: ; Main Fauna: *Biosphere Reserves on the UNESCO Network of Biosphere Reserves.”
Why relevant

Lists 'giant squirrel' and 'flying squirrel' as main fauna of several Indian reserves, implying these squirrel species are present and known as distinct types.

How to extend

A student could combine this with the basic fact that giant and flying squirrels are typically arboreal to suspect Indian squirrels often nest above ground rather than as ground burrows.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 12: Animal Diversity of India > 12.1.8. Kondana Rat (Millardia kondana) > p. 188
Strength: 4/5
“• It is an nocturnal burrowing rodent that is found only in India. It is sometimes known to build nests. • Habitats: Typical and subtropical dry deciduous forests and tropical scrub. • Distribution: Known only from the small Sinhagarh Plateau (about one km²), near Pune in Maharashtra. Reported from an elevation of about 1,470 m above mean sea level. • Threats: Major threats are habitat loss, overgrazing of vegetation and disturbance from tourism and recreational activities.”
Why relevant

Describes the Kondana rat as a 'nocturnal burrowing rodent' that 'is sometimes known to build nests', showing that some small mammals in India do nest in burrows.

How to extend

A student could use this pattern (some rodents burrow) to note that burrowing is known among Indian small mammals, so ground burrowing is biologically plausible for some species — but not automatic for squirrels.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 12: Animal Diversity of India > Platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal. > p. 190
Strength: 3/5
“• r Habitat / distribution endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. • 'r In the platypus, the female retires to a burrow in the bank of a river or pond. The burrow is lined with dry vegetation, and there the eggs are laid. e The male platypus has venom strong enough to can kill a small dog, or cause excruciating pain among humans.”
Why relevant

Gives an example of a mammal (platypus) that constructs a burrow for nesting, illustrating that mammals sometimes use ground burrows for reproduction.

How to extend

One could generalize that burrowing for nests occurs across mammal groups, so testing whether squirrels are among those groups is reasonable using species-specific natural history.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 12: Animal Diversity of India > az.4.z, The Forest Owlet > p. 191
Strength: 4/5
“• R Had been lost for more than a century. After u3 long years, the owlet rvas rediscovered in 1997 and reappeared ontthe iist of Indian birds.• R Habitat: Dry deciduous forest.• . Habitat / distribution: South Madl:ya Pradesh, in north-west Maharashtra and north-central Maharashtra.• R Threats: Logging operations, burning and cutting of trees damage roosting and nesting trees of the Forest Owlet.”
Why relevant

Notes that the Forest Owlet's 'roosting and nesting trees' are important, providing an example where nesting is tree-based and vulnerable to loss of trees.

How to extend

This supports the pattern that many forest animals (including some squirrels) rely on trees for nesting, so a student might check whether Indian squirrel species are tree-nesters rather than ground-burrowers.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Climates of India > LET'S EXPLORE > p. 56
Strength: 4/5
“Since the ability to predict the monsoon rainfall has been an important aspect of life in India, our ancestors observed Nature around them carefully. They developed local traditional knowledge through their experience. This traditional knowledge is an important heritage we must preserve. For example, fishermen on the Konkan coast predict the onset of the monsoon when fishes that normally stay under water are seen at the surface; in parts of southern India monsoon is said to arrive within 50 days after the Golden Shower tree (Cassia fistula) blossoms. Some communities also believe that when crows build their nests high on tree-tops, it indicates less rainfall, whereas if the nests are lower, rainfall is likely to be heavy.”
Why relevant

Describes how different species choose nest heights (crows build high or low nests) as a behavioral/ecological adaptation, showing nesting site varies by species and can be inferred from habitat.

How to extend

A student could apply this rule: determine typical habitat/behavior of Indian squirrel species (arboreal vs. terrestrial) to predict whether they are likely to burrow for nests.

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Statement analysis

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