Consider the following:
1. Black-necked crane
2. Cheetah
3. Flying squirrel
4. Snow leopard
Which of the above are naturally found in India?
Correct Answer: Option B
Explanation
1. Black-necked crane: This species breeds on the Tibetan plateau and winters in lower altitudes. In India, it is naturally found as a breeding bird in parts of Ladakh and as a winter visitor in Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan.
2. Cheetah: The Asiatic Cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952. Therefore, it is not naturally found in India (though reintroduction efforts began much later than 2012).
3. Flying squirrel: Several species of flying squirrel are naturally found in forested regions across India, including the Himalayas, Northeast India, and the Western Ghats.
4. Snow leopard: This elusive large cat is naturally found in the high-altitude, mountainous regions of the Himalayas and trans-Himalayas within India (e.g., Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh).
5. Thus, the Black-necked crane, Flying squirrel, and Snow leopard (1, 3, and 4) are naturally found in India.
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