UPSC CSE Prelims
National Parks Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 3 — 1, 3 and 4 only

This question tests knowledge of Protected Areas located in the Cauvery river basin. Among the given options, Nagarhole National Park, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary are located in the Cauvery basin, while Papikonda National Park is located in the Godavari basin.

✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Nagarhole National Park is located in Kodagu and Mysore districts of Karnataka, part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, and lies within the Cauvery basin.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Papikonda National Park is located in Andhra Pradesh along the Godavari river basin, not the Cauvery basin.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve lies on the banks of River Bhavani, a tributary of Cauvery, in the foothills of the Eastern Ghats in Tamil Nadu.
✅ Statement 4 – Correct: Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala has the Kabini river (a tributary of Cauvery) flowing through it, making it part of the Cauvery basin.

📝 Short Notes: Protected Areas in Cauvery Basin

• Cauvery River: Originates in Talakaveri, Western Ghats of Karnataka; flows through Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry before draining into the Bay of Bengal.
• Nagarhole National Park: Also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park; part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve; rich in tiger, elephant, and leopard populations.
• Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve: Located in Erode district, Tamil Nadu; connects the Western and Eastern Ghats; crucial elephant corridor.
• Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary: Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve; contiguous with Nagarhole and Bandipur; known for its elephant population.
• Major Tributaries of Cauvery: Hemavati, Shimsha, Arkavathi, Kabini, Bhavani, Amaravati, and Noyyal.
• Papikonda National Park: Located in East and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh; part of Godavari basin; known for its pristine forests and tribal population.

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 3 — 1 and 3 only

Desert National Park is one of India's largest national parks, spread across Jaisalmer and Barmer districts of Rajasthan, representing the Thar Desert ecosystem. It is a crucial habitat for the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard, though human settlements do exist within the park boundaries.

✅ Statement 1 – Correct: The park is spread across Jaisalmer and Barmer districts of Rajasthan, covering approximately 3,162 km².
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Human habitation exists within the park; several villages and communities engaged in livestock rearing are located inside.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: It is one of the last remaining natural habitats of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps).

📝 Short Notes: Desert National Park

• Location: Jaisalmer and Barmer districts, Rajasthan
• Area: Approximately 3,162 km², one of the largest national parks in India
• Ecosystem: Represents the Thar Desert ecosystem with sand dunes (20%), rocky terrain, salt lake bottoms, and sparse vegetation
• Key Wildlife: Great Indian Bustard (critically endangered), Chinkara, Desert Fox, Desert Cat, Wolf
• Human Presence: Unlike strict protected areas, villages and pastoral communities exist within the park
• Conservation Significance: Last stronghold for Great Indian Bustard; captive breeding programs ongoing
• Bird Diversity: Over 140 bird species recorded, including migratory and resident species

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 4 — Valley of Flowers National Park

Valley of Flowers National Park in Uttarakhand is situated entirely at a high altitude (3,352 to 3,658 metres above sea level) and lies completely within the temperate alpine zone. This zone is characterized by alpine meadows, low-growing vegetation, and a cooler climate suitable for high-altitude flowering plants.

Why other options are incorrect:
• Manas National Park (Assam): Located in tropical and subtropical zones with grasslands and evergreen forests, not alpine.
• Namdapha National Park (Arunachal Pradesh): Features diverse vegetation zones from tropical evergreen forests at lower elevations to sub-alpine meadows at higher altitudes, covering multiple zones.
• Neora Valley National Park (West Bengal): Extends from subtropical broadleaf forests at lower levels to temperate forests at higher reaches, not entirely alpine.

📝 Short Notes: Temperate Alpine Zone & National Parks

• Temperate Alpine Zone: High-altitude region above the tree line (typically above 3,000m in the Himalayas), characterized by alpine meadows, low shrubs, herbs, and grasses adapted to cold temperatures and short growing seasons.
• Valley of Flowers National Park: Located in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand; a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for endemic Himalayan flora with over 600 species of flowering plants; entirely within the alpine zone.
• Alpine Vegetation Characteristics: Cushion plants, dwarf shrubs, perennial herbs, and colorful wildflowers that bloom during the brief summer season; adapted to extreme cold, high UV radiation, and strong winds.
• Other Alpine Parks in India: Great Himalayan National Park (parts), Pin Valley National Park, and Hemis National Park also have alpine zones, but may not lie entirely within this zone.
• Altitude Zones in Himalayas: Tropical (up to 1,000m) → Sub-tropical (1,000-2,000m) → Temperate (2,000-3,000m) → Alpine (3,000-4,500m) → Glacial (above 4,500m).

Detailed Explanation:

Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh has an elevation range from 200 m to 4,571 m, creating unique climatic zones from tropical to subtropical, temperate and Arctic.

This is the only National Park in India with four big cat species – tiger, leopard, clouded leopard, and snow leopard – due to its vast altitudinal variation.

Detailed Explanation:

Keibul Lamjao National Park in Manipur is the world's only floating national park, characterized by phumdis (floating decomposed vegetation mats) on Loktak Lake.

It is the last natural habitat of the endangered Sangai (Manipur Eld's deer/Brow-antlered deer), also known as the dancing deer, declared a National Park in 1977.

Detailed Explanation:

✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Harike Wetlands is a Ramsar site in Punjab, formed at the confluence of the Beas and Sutlej rivers.

❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: Keoladeo Ghana National Park (Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajasthan) is located at the confluence of Gambhir and Banganga rivers, not Banas and Chambal.

❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Kolleru Lake (Andhra Pradesh) lies between the Krishna and Godavari river deltas and is fed by seasonal streams, not at the confluence of Musi and Krishna rivers.

Detailed Explanation:

❌ Pair 1 – Incorrect: Ramganga River (not Ganga) flows through Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand.

❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: Brahmaputra River (not Manas) flows through Kaziranga National Park, Assam. Manas is a separate river flowing through Manas National Park.

❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Kunthipuzha River (not Kaveri) flows through Silent Valley National Park, Kerala.