A sandy and saline area is the natural habitat of an Indian animal species. The animal has no predators in that area, but its existence is threatened due to the destruction of its habitat. Which one of the following could be that animal?

Answer: (b) Indian wild ass

The wild ass (khur) lives in the Little Rann of Kutch — flat, saline, sandy — with no natural predators there; its threat is habitat loss (salt pans, Prosopis).

The idea

The Little Rann of Kachchh is a flat, salty desert that floods in the monsoon and cracks dry in summer. Few large animals can live there, so the wild ass has no big predator. Its only danger is people taking the land.

Salt desert floods in the monsoon → Wild asses move to raised grassy islands (bets) → Dry season: they graze the edges → Salt pans, canals and an invasive shrub take the grazing land → Habitat shrinks

Why the others are wrong

(a) Wild buffalo live in wet grasslands and forests (Kaziranga, Chhattisgarh).

(c) Wild boar are widespread and not threatened.

(d) The chinkara (Indian gazelle) lives in dry scrub and desert, and has predators like wolves.

The trap

The chinkara is also a desert animal. “Saline” and “no predators” point to the Rann.

Also know

The local name is khur or ghudkhar. It is among the fastest Indian animals. The Wild Ass Sanctuary in Gujarat is its main home. A relative, the kiang or Tibetan wild ass, lives in Ladakh.