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Q19 (IAS/2015) Environment & Ecology › Biodiversity & Protected Areas › Threatened species conservation Official Key

With reference to 'dugong', a mammal found in India, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It is a herbivorous marine animal. 2. It is found along the entire coast of India. 3. It is given legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

The correct answer is option C because statements 1 and 3 are correct, while statement 2 is incorrect.

Dugong is a mammal-dependent resident of sea grass for food[2], confirming that it is herbivorous and a marine animal. Statement 1 is correct.

Statement 2 is incorrect because dugongs are found along the Indian coastline, primarily inhabiting warm waters around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, and the Gulf of Kutch[3]. This indicates they are not found along the entire coast of India but only in specific regions.

Statement 3 is correct as dugongs have been given the highest level of legal protection and listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972[4]. The dugong is also on the verge of extinction[2], which further justifies its high level of protection.

Sources
  1. [1] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 14: Marine Organisms > Bo you know? > p. 209
  2. [2] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 14: Marine Organisms > Bo you know? > p. 209
  3. [3] https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/world-dugong-day-india-vulnerable-conservation-priority/article69624446.ece
  4. [4] https://www.conservationleadershipprogramme.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/CLP_FinalReport_Dugon_India_2009.pdf
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Q. With reference to 'dugong', a mammal found in India, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It is a herbivorous marine anim…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 5/10 · 5/10
You're seeing a guest preview. The Verdict and first statement analysis are open. Login with Google to unlock all tabs.

This is a classic 'Species Profile' question solvable by combining static book knowledge (Shankar IAS) with elimination logic. Statement 1 is basic biology (Sea Cow = Herbivore), Statement 3 is standard conservation status for endangered mammals, and Statement 2 is the 'Extreme Word' trap ('entire coast') used to filter candidates.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is the dugong (Dugong dugon), a mammal found in India, herbivorous?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 14: Marine Organisms > Bo you know? > p. 209
Presence: 5/5
“The five species of turtles that nest on the Indian coast are the Leatherback sea turtle, Green turtle, and the Olive Ridley. . 1,4n{,&e':!rye#d sumle. ,dE. • IUCIJ has accorded high priority for the conservation of sea grass. • Out of 5B species found in the world, fourteen species of seagrasses have been recorded from Indian coast. • They are commonly distributed from intertidal to subtidal region down to B m depth. • Dugong, a mammal-dependent resident of sea grass for food, is also on the verge of extinction.”
Why this source?
  • Snippet explicitly identifies Dugong as a mammal that is a 'resident of sea grass for food'.
  • Dependence on seagrass as food indicates a plant-based diet, i.e., herbivory.
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Table 5.8 > p. 49
Presence: 4/5
“Biosphere Reserves of India • Col1: 1.; Biosphere Reserve: Nilgiri*; Col3: 1986; Geographical Area in km2: 5520; States: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Kamataka; Main Fauna: Nilgiri tahr, lion-tailed macaque • Col1: 2.; Biosphere Reserve: Nanada Devi*; Col3: 1988; Geographical Area in km2: 6407; States: Uttarkhand; Main Fauna: Nilgiri tahr, lion-tailed macaque • Col1: 3.; Biosphere Reserve: Nokrek*; Col3: 1988; Geographical Area in km2: 0820; States: Meghalaya; Main Fauna: Red panda • Col1: 4.; Biosphere Reserve: Manas; Col3: 1989; Geographical Area in km2: 2837; States: Assam; Main Fauna: Red panda, golden langur • Col1: 5.; Biosphere Reserve: Sundarban*; Col3: 1989; Geographical Area in km2: 9630; States: West Bengal; Main Fauna: Royal Bengal tiger • Col1: 6.; Biosphere Reserve: Gulf of Mannar*; Col3: 1989; Geographical Area in km2: 10,500; States: Tamil Nadu coast; Main Fauna: Dugong or sea cow • Col1: 7.; Biosphere Reserve: Great Nicobar; Col3: 1989; Geographical Area in km2: 0885; States: Andaman and Nicobar Islands; Main Fauna: Salt water crocodile • Col1: 8.; Biosphere Reserve: Simlipal*; Col3: 1994; Geographical Area in km2: 5569; States: Odisha; Main Fauna: Gaur, Royal Bengal tiger, wild elephant”
Why this source?
  • Gulf of Mannar (an Indian biosphere reserve) lists 'Dugong or sea cow' as main fauna, establishing its presence in India.
  • The common name 'sea cow' implies a plant-eating (herbivorous) marine mammal.
Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 1: Ecology > Herbivores are primary consumers which feed > p. 7
Presence: 4/5
“Herbivores are primary consumers which feed. e.g. wolves. • mainly on piants e.g. cow, rabbit. • Secondary consumers feed on primary consumers • Carnivores which feed on secondary consumers are called tertiary consumers e.g. lions which can eat wolves. • Omnivores are organisms which consume both plants and animals e.g. man, monkey,”
Why this source?
  • Provides the general definition that herbivores feed mainly on plants.
  • Combining this definition with Dugong's seagrass-based diet (snippet 1) supports classifying Dugong as herbivorous.
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