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Q17·GS Paper 1 · Prelims 2023

Indian squirrels — nests/burrows, food storage, omnivorous

EnvironmentBiodiversity & ConservationHow-many countingEasyStatic

Question

Consider the following statements regarding the Indian squirrels : How many of the above statements are correct?

  1. 1.

    They build nests by making burrows in the ground.

  2. 2.

    They store their food materials like nuts and seeds in the ground.

  3. 3.

    They are omnivorous.

Options

a

Only one

Answer
b

Only two

c

All three

d

None

Explanation

Only statement 3 is correct. Indian palm squirrels are omnivorous, opportunistically feeding on insects and bird eggs alongside nuts and fruits. Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect; unlike temperate ground squirrels, Indian squirrels primarily nest in trees or crevices (not burrows) and generally do not cache food in the ground, as food is available year-round in tropical climates.

Tropical squirrels behave fundamentally differently than temperate/boreal squirrels; they do not hibernate, do not burrow, and rarely cache food.

Answer: (a).

Question details

Year

2023

Paper

GS Paper 1

Question

Q17

Subject

Environment

Sub-topic

Biodiversity & Conservation

Type

How-many counting

Difficulty

Easy

Nature

Static

Source hint

Wildlife of India / Tropical Rodent Behavioral Adaptations

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