SPECIES IN NEWS QUIZ (5 QUESTIONS)

Saras Crane is the world's tallest flying bird, standing at a height up to 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in).

SARAS CRANE

Sarus Crane is a large non-migratory crane found in parts of the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia.

IUCN Status : Vulnerable

Habitat : Natural wetlands with low water depth, marshy and fallow areas and agricultural fields.

It is easily distinguished from other cranes in the region by its overall grey colour and the contrasting red head and upper neck.

The Saras pair builds an enormous nest "island" during the rainy season, a circular platform of reeds and grasses nearly 2 m in diameter and high enough to stay above the shallow water surrounding it.

Saras Crane is the state bird of Uttar Pradesh.

Dhanauri Wetlands of Greater Noida are home to Saras Crane.

Trivia : The logo of the upcoming Noida International Airport is an artistic represention of the Saras Crane, the state bird of Uttar Pradesh.

RUSTY SPOTTED CAT

The rusty-spotted cat is the smallest cat of the world.

This wild cat is endemic only to India and Sri Lanka and has been reported mainly in the Western Ghats.

Though its range was long thought to be confined to South India, but records have established that it occurs over much of the country.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Near Threatened on IUCN Red List

Appendix I of CITES

Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

Rusty-spotted cat is known as the "hummingbird of the cat family".

Mouse deers are extremely small and shy animals that usually travel alone.

MOUSE DEER - A "LIVING FOSSIL" AND THE SMALLEST DESCENDANT OF DEER.

Mouse deer is a rare and unique deer species.

They are the most primitive and smallest descendants of deer species.

Scientists see them as evolutionary links or "living fossils" because they haven't changed or evolved much during their time on Earth.

The researchers at LaCONES collaborated with the conservation experts in Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad for captive breeding and reintroduction of Indian Mouse Deer in the wild.

The captive mouse deer population by the end of October 2019 increased to 173 animals.

The release of the captive bred mouse deer population was done in Amrabad tiger reserve, Telangana.

KASHMIRI RED STAG (HANGUL)

Kashmir Red Stag is commonly known as hangul.

IUCN Status : Critically endangered

It is the only Asiatic survivor or sub-species of the European red deer.

It is known for its giant antlers bearing 11 to 16 points.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT

This deer is endemic to India. It lives in groups of 2 to 18 individuals in dense riverine forests, high valleys and mountains of the Kashmir valley and northern Chamba in Himachal Pradesh.

➡️ It is found mostly in DACHIGAM NATIONAL PARK of Jammu and Kashmir.

It is also found in RAJPARIAN (DAKSUM) WILDLIFE SANCTUARY of Jammu and Kashmir.

It is the official Animal of Jammu and Kashmir.

➡️ It is also reported from GAMGUL WILDLIFE SANCTUARY of Himachal Pradesh.

Predation : Brown bear, snow leopard and Himalayan black bear are it’s main predators.

Grass Cutting : The locals tend to cut much grass for their domesticated animals at the cost of the food of the Kashmir stag.

The IUCN Red Data Book has listed the Hangul as one of three species that are critically endangered and at the risk of extinction in J&K.

The other two species are :

1⃣ The Markhor — the world’s largest species of wild goat found in Kashmir and several regions of central Asia.

2⃣ The Tibetan antelope or ‘Chiru’.

HOUBARA BUSTARD

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Recently the Government of Pakistan has issued special permit to Saudi Crown Prince to hunt rare houbara bustards.

Bustards are large, ground-dwelling birds that are amongst the largest flying birds.

IUCN recognises two distinct species found in:

1) North Africa (Chlamydotis undulata)

2) Asia (Chlamydotis macqueenii)

After breeding in the spring, Asian Houbara bustards migrate from Mongolia to spend the winter in Pakistan, Arabian Peninsula and nearby Southwest Asia.

In Pakistan, Houbara Bustard is found in Balochistan.

Reasons for Decline : Poaching, unregulated hunting, along with degradation of its natural habitat.

Hunting :

The local people of Balochistan hunt Houbara for meat.

The Arab elites of Gulf Countries hunt it for sport using Saker Falcon