Consider the following statements: Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Answer: (c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement II is incorrect

Marsupials are not native to India; their absence is about history, not habitat.

Statement by statement

1. ✓ CORRECT Marsupials live naturally in Australia and New Guinea, and the opossums of the Americas — not in India.

2. ✗ WRONG Marsupials live in deserts, forests and grasslands, alongside predators. Their range comes from continental drift history, not habitat.

The idea

Where marsupials live is explained by the history of the continents, not by a kind of habitat. Australia broke away and stayed isolated for tens of millions of years. Its marsupials evolved there without competition from the placental mammals that took over other continents.

Southern landmass (Gondwana) breaks up → India drifts north and joins Asia → Australia drifts away alone → Marsupials spread into every habitat there: desert, forest, grassland → None reach India

The trap

Statement II sounds like a scientific reason. It is invented — kangaroos live in hot dry plains with dingoes.

Elimination technique

Statement II says marsupials can thrive “only in…” one kind of place. Absolute words usually mark the false statement in Environment PYQs. With II false, only option (c) fits.

Also know

Kangaroos live on hot dry plains alongside the dingo; tree kangaroos live in rainforest. The Americas have their own marsupials, the opossums.