Species: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Environment and Ecology)
43 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on species make this the largest Environment chapter, from 2011 to 2025. UPSC asks for classification, habitat and relationships: which animal is a filter feeder, which organism has coevolved with an insect, what Gucchi is and what the Peacock tarantula is. The explanations give the group, habitat and conservation status.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 41–43 of 43 questions
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UPSC 2012Environment and Ecology · Species
Q41. Consider the following: 1. Black-necked crane 2. Cheetah 3. Flying Squirrel 4. Snow Leopard Which of the above are naturally found in India?
Explanation
Option 1 is correct: Black-necked crane is a state bird of Ladakh. It is found in northeastern Ladakh and some parts of Himalayan foothills in India. It is endemic to the Tibetan Plateau and migrates to India during the winter months. It is listed as vulnerable and is considered an important species for conservation.
Option 2 is incorrect: The Cheetah was historically found in India but was declared extinct in India in the 1950s due to hunting and habitat loss. However, the species is now being re-introduced in India, especially in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh.
Option 3 is correct: In India, most of these species are found in the eastern Himalayas and the north-east, at the confluence of two biogeographically significant regions, the Himalayan and the Indo-Malayan regions. These arboreal mammals are adapted to glide between trees in search of food.
Option 4 is correct: The Snow Leopard is found in high-alti-tude regions of Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and parts of Uttarakhand and Sikkim. It is classified as vulnerable and is an apex predator in cold mountain ecosystems.
UPSC 2012Environment and Ecology · Species
Q42. Which of the following can be threats to the biodiversity of a geographical area? 1. Global warming 2. Fragmentation of habitat 3. Invasion of alien species 4. Promotion of vegetarianism Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Explanation
Option 1 is correct: Rising temperatures are affecting biodiversity. Global warming induced climate change is causing changing rainfall patterns, extreme weather events, and ocean acidification. These are putting pressure on species already threatened by other human activities.
Option 2 is correct: Mammals and birds that require large territories as well as animals with migratory habitat are adversely affected by fragmentation of Habitat. This results in population decline.
Option 3 is correct: Invasive alien species are animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms entered and established in the environment from outside of their natural habitat. They reproduce rapidly, outcompete native species for food, water and space, and are one of the main causes of global biodiversity loss.
Option 4 is incorrect: Promotion of vegetarianism is not a cause for the loss or threat of biodiversity.
UPSC 2011Environment and Ecology · Species
Q43. 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?
Explanation
The Indian wild ass also known as the Ghudkhur, is native to the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, India. This region is characterized by sandy and saline desert conditions, which are the natural habitat of the Indian wild ass. The species has no natural predators in this area, but its survival is threatened due to habitat destruction, human encroachment, and competition for resources. It is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Listed as Near Threatened in the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
41
2012
(b) 1, 3 and 4 only
42
2012
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
43
2011
(b) Indian wild ass
What UPSC has tested in Species
The fig has a unique relationship with an insect, the fig wasp, with which it has coevolved.
Oysters are filter feeders.
Golden Mahseer is a fish, not a bird.
Gucchi is a fungus (morel mushroom) found in the Himalayan forests.
Lions do not have a particular breeding season.
The Peacock tarantula, or Gooty tarantula, is an arboreal spider; it is not a crustacean.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Species?
This page covers 43 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Species (Environment and Ecology), asked from 2011 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
What is the Gooty tarantula?
The Peacock or Gooty tarantula, a critically endangered arboreal spider found in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh. It is a spider, not a crustacean, and is carnivorous, not omnivorous.
What is a filter feeder?
An animal that feeds by straining small food particles from water. Oysters, clams, sponges and some whales are filter feeders, and bivalves also clean the water they filter.
What is Gucchi?
The morel mushroom, a fungus of the family Morchellaceae that grows in the temperate forests of the Himalaya. It is highly prized as a delicacy and is not cultivated commercially.
