RAS question
Ashtamudi Wetland Ramsar site is located in:
Correct answer: (D) Kerala.
Ashtamudi Wetland, a Ramsar site designated in 2002, is located in Kerala.
Explanation
Ashtamudi Wetland is located in Kerala, so option D is the right answer. The official Ramsar Sites Information Service page for site number 1204 identifies the site as "Ashtamudi Wetland", lists India as the country, gives the designation date as 19-08-2002, and places it in Kerala State. This matches the core exam fact: Ashtamudi Wetland was designated as a Ramsar site in 2002. The Ramsar tag matters because it marks wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, 1971. For RAS, the key is not just remembering the name, but linking the wetland to its state accurately.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Manipur is wrong because the verified Ramsar entry places Ashtamudi Wetland in Kerala State, not in Manipur.
- (B) Rajasthan is wrong because the cited Ramsar record identifies the site as being in Kerala State.
- (C) Odisha is wrong because the official Ramsar site page locates Ashtamudi Wetland in Kerala State.
Concept
This tests the Environment and Ecology theme of Ramsar sites and their state-wise location. It recurs in RAS because wetlands are asked as static geography facts linked to conservation conventions.