Question

Comprehension: India is home to an estimated 10% of the global Snow Leopard population spread across five Himalayan states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, which is only 5% of the available global habitat for the animal. Project Snow Leopard was introduced in India by the Project Snow Leopard Committee instituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, in the year 2009 to safeguard and conserve India’s unique natural heritage of high-altitude wildlife populations and their habitats by promoting conservation through participatory policies and actions. Project Tiger and Project Elephant are prevalent in India with the former introduced in 1973 garnering worldwide attention. The Snow Leopard usually occurs at an altitude of \(>2700\,\text{m}\) above sea level and is the apex predator in the Himalayan Region along with the Tibetan Wolf. The project is not only to protect the Snow Leopard, but as with Project Tiger, it is considered an umbrella species and with its protection comes the protection of other species and the habitat which they are all a part of. Top 3 National Parks in India where the Snow Leopard can likely be seen:
- Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary — Himachal Pradesh
- Ulley Valley — Ladakh
- Hemis National Park — Himachal Pradesh The reasons for the introduction of Project Snow Leopard are as follows:

• A. High altitudes of India \(>3000\,\text{m}\), including the Himalayan and Trans-Himalayan biogeographic zones, support a unique wildlife assemblage of global conservation significance.
• B. India has ratified international agreements promoting the conservation of high-altitude wildlife species such as the snow leopard.
• C. J & K, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal
• D. Delhi

Hint:

Always refer back to the passage directly for factual questions. Do not assume based on general knowledge; stick strictly to the information given in the text.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Identify the relevant portion of the passage.
The very first sentence of the passage mentions the five Himalayan states that are home to 10% of the global Snow Leopard population: \[ \text{“...five Himalayan states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh...”} \] Step 2: Compare with the options.
Option (1): Lists all five states exactly as mentioned — Correct.
Option (2): Delhi — not in the Himalayan region — Incorrect.
Option (3): Rajasthan — desert region, not Himalayan — Incorrect.
\ Option (4): Raipur — in Chhattisgarh, central India, not part of the Himalayan states — Incorrect.
Step 3: Final conclusion. Only Option (1) includes the correct list of Himalayan states mentioned in the comprehension.