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UPSC Prelims 2008 · Environment · Species Watch
Consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Salt-water crocodile is found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Shrew and tapir are found in the Western Ghats of the Malabar region.
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (a) 1 only
Saltwater crocodiles are in the Andamans; there are no tapirs in the Western Ghats.
Statement by statement
1. ✓ CORRECT Saltwater crocodiles live in the mangroves of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (and Sundarbans, Bhitarkanika).
2. ✗ WRONG — no tapirs in India Shrews do live in the Western Ghats, but tapirs live only in Central/South America and South-East Asia (Malayan tapir).
The idea
The saltwater crocodile is the largest living reptile. It lives in tidal creeks and mangroves and can swim long distances at sea, which is how it reached islands. Tapirs are pig-like forest animals with a short trunk, found in Central and South America and in South-East Asia.
Saltwater crocodile in India: Bhitarkanika, Sundarbans, Andaman and Nicobar Islands → Tapir: Malaysia, Thailand, Sumatra and the Americas → India: none
Why the others are wrong
(b) Rejects the Andaman crocodiles — a well-known population.
(c) Accepts the tapir, probably because the shrew half of the statement is true.
(d) Rejects the Andaman crocodiles.
The trap
Half of statement 2 is true (shrews). One false animal makes the whole statement false. (Some think “tapir” was a misprint of Nilgiri “tahr”; as printed, it is wrong.)
Also know
A statement that joins two things with “and” is true only if both parts are true.
🔒 Saltwater crocodile: Andaman, Sundarbans, Bhitarkanika. No tapirs in India.