1. The number of tigers in India has increased from 2018 to 2022.

2. Maharashtra has the maximum number of tigers in India.

3. The number of tigers “within the tiger reserve” is highest in Kanha National Park.

4. Shivalik Hills witnessed a decrease in tiger occupancy.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 2

With reference to the World Environment Day, consider the following statements:

1. It is led by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

2. In 2024, World Environment Day is being hosted by Saudi Arabia, with a focus on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 3

Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary was in the news due to translocation of animals. The sanctuary is located in:

(a) Telangana

(b) Odisha

(c) Chhattisgarh

(d) Madhya Pradesh

QUESTION 4

With reference to the slender loris, consider the following statements:

1. They are commonly found in the tropical scrub and deciduous forests of Northern India.

2. They are nocturnal mammals.

3. These species are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

4. They act as a biological predator to pests of agricultural crops.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 5

With reference to the Agnibaan sub-Orbital technology demonstrator (SOrTeD), consider the following statements:

1. It is India’s first semi-cryogenic engine-powered rocket launch.

2. It has been launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWERS TO THE MCQs

1. (a)

FYI:

— The number of tigers in India has increased by 6.74 percent from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,167 in 2022, according to the figures of the 5th cycle of India’s Tiger Census. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Project Tiger was launched by the Central government on April 1, 1973, in a bid to promote the conservation of the tiger.

— The fifth cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation (2022) covered forested habitats in 20 states of India. The number of tigers in descending order is as follows:

(i) Central Indian Highlands & Eastern Ghats Landscape: 1,161

(ii) Western Ghats Landscape: 824

(iii) Shivalik Hills & Gangetic Plains Landscape: 804

(iv) North Eastern Hills & Brahmaputra Plains Landscape: 194

(v) Sunderbans Landscape: 100

— Madhya Pradesh has the maximum number (785) of tigers in the countryfollowed by Karnataka (563), Uttarakhand (560), and Maharashtra (444), according to the data. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— According to the data, Arunachal Pradesh lost around 70 percent of its tigers — from 29 in 2018 to just 9 in 2022. The number of tigers dropped from 28 to 20 in Odisha, from 5 to 1 in Jharkhand, from 19 to 17 in Chhattisgarh and from 26 to 21 in Telangana. The count dipped from 6 in 2006 to nil in 2022 in Mizoram and from 10 in 2006 to just 2 in 2022 in northern West Bengal. Nagaland also does not have any tigers now.

— The number of tigers “within the tiger reserve” is highest in Corbett (260)followed by Bandipur (150), Nagarhole (141), Bandhavgarh (135), Dudhwa (135), Mudumalai (114), Kanha (105), Kaziranga (104), Sundarbans (100), Tadoba (97), Sathyamangalam ( 85), and Pench-MP (77). Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— The tiger population in the forest divisions of the Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains landscape has experienced a significant surge. The Western Ghats witnessed a decrease in tiger occupancy, except for a few areas like Kali (Anshi Dandeli), where the number of unique tigers remains stable. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

2. (c)

FYI:

— World Environment Day is led by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and is celebrated on June 5 every year to raise awareness about degrading environmental conditions and to encourage people globally to take positive environmental actions, to help create a better future. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— In 2024, World Environment Day is being hosted by Saudi Arabia, with a focus on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— People from over 150 nations take part in this United Nations worldwide day, which honors environmental action and the capacity of governments, businesses, and individuals to create a more sustainable world.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.worldenvironmentday.global)

3. (a)

FYI:

— The Telangana Forest Department has begun a process of boosting predators’ natural prey base by translocating wild herbivores that are abundant in state zoos and national parks.

— Over the last three months, the department relocated 30 spotted deer, 6 peafowls, and 13 sambars from the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad and the Kakatiya Zoological Park in Hanamkonda to the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary and the Amrabad Tiger Reserve, respectively.

— The officials decided to invoke Section – 12 (bb) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 which empowered the chief wildlife warden to translocate excess animals for the scientific management of the population.

— Herbivores such as spotted deer, sambar, nilgai, and black buck are being captured and translocated to the natural habitats to strengthen the prey base for predators like the tiger.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

4. (b)

FYI:

— Tamil Nadu government has notified the country’s first Kadavur slender loris sanctuary covering 11,806 hectares in Karur and Dindigul districts of the state.

— Slender lorises are small Nocturnal mammals and are arboreal in nature, as they spend most of their life on trees. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— They are commonly found in the tropical scrub and deciduous forests as well as the dense hedgerow plantations bordering farmlands of Southern India. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— These species are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— They act as a biological predator to pests of agricultural crops and benefit farmers. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

— The sanctuary would play an important role in conservation of slender loris and yet another milestone in conservation efforts.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

5. (a)

FYI:

— Indian space startup Agnikul Cosmos successfully launched its first sub-orbital test vehicle powered by the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine.

— Agnibaan SOrTeD (Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator) is India’s first semi-cryogenic engine-powered rocket launch. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It is the second launch by a private startup in India, Agnikul Cosmos. It is the first to use a private launchpad, Dhanush, that the company has set up at the country’s only operational spaceport at Sriharikota. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— It was powered by the world’s first single piece 3D printed semi-cryogenic engine.

— The primary goal of this mission, which is also Agnikul’s first flight, is to act as a test flight, demonstrating in-house and homegrown technologies, gathering critical flight data, and ensuring the optimal operation of systems for Agnikul’s orbital launch vehicle, the ‘Agnibaan’.

— The vehicle can fly payloads ranging from 30 kg to 300 kg.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 61)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 60)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 60)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 60)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 60)

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