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Q20·GS Paper 1 · Prelims 2024

Indian Flying Fox & Wildlife Act

EnvironmentBiodiversity & ConservationAssertion-ReasonMediumStatic

Question

Consider the following statements: Statement-I: The Indian Flying Fox is placed under the "vermin" category in the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. Statement-II: The Indian Flying Fox feeds on the blood of other animals. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Options

a

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I

b

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I

c

Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect

Answer
d

Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Explanation

Statement-I is correct in the historical context of the WPA 1972 (where it was listed in Schedule V as vermin, though recent 2022 amendments removed this schedule). Statement-II is definitively incorrect; the Indian Flying Fox is a frugivore (fruit-eating bat), not a hematophagous vampire bat.

Flying foxes are fruit bats and play a critical ecological role as seed dispersers, not blood-suckers.

Answer: (c).

Question details

Year

2024

Paper

GS Paper 1

Question

Q20

Subject

Environment

Sub-topic

Biodiversity & Conservation

Type

Assertion-Reason

Difficulty

Medium

Nature

Static

Source hint

Wildlife Protection Act 1972 / MoEFCC Fruit Bat Schedule Revision 2022

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