RAS question
Consider the following statements about the camel population trend and conservation efforts in Rajasthan: 1. The camel population of Rajasthan has been declining steadily since the 1990s. 2. Camels were declared the State Animal of Rajasthan in 2014. 3. The primary reasons for camel decline include mechanisation of agriculture, ban on camel slaughter, and decreasing pastureland. 4. The National Research Centre on Camel (NRCC) in Bikaner has developed commercially viable camel milk products including ice cream and fermented milk. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Correct answer: (B) 1, 2, 3 and 4.
All four statements are correct: Rajasthan's camel population has declined since the 1990s, the camel was declared Rajasthan's State Animal in 2014, the decline is linked to mechanisation, slaughter-ban economics and shrinking pastureland, and NRCC Bikaner has developed camel milk products.
Explanation
All four statements describe the same Rajasthan camel-conservation problem from different angles. The official livestock-census release records the national camel population at 2.5 lakh in 2019, a 37.1% decline from the previous census, and reports a declining trend across the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Livestock Censuses. Rajasthan's camel population fell more sharply from about 5 lakh in the 1990s to under 2.5 lakh by the 2019 census. The main causes are agricultural mechanisation reducing the camel's draught role, slaughter and export restrictions weakening economic incentives, and pastureland loss reducing the rearing base. Rajasthan declared the camel its State Animal in 2014. NRCC Bikaner's camel milk ice cream and fermented products demonstrate livelihood-oriented conservation.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Option A leaves out statement 3, although mechanisation, slaughter and export restrictions weakening economic incentives, and decreasing pastureland are major contributors to camel decline.
- (C) Option C omits statements 1 and 3, even though the camel population has declined since the 1990s and mechanisation, weakened economic incentives, and shrinking pastureland are major causes.
- (D) Option D omits statements 2 and 4, but Rajasthan declared the camel its State Animal in 2014, and NRCC Bikaner developed camel milk products as part of the conservation response.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan livestock geography, especially the link between desert ecology, pastoral livelihoods and state conservation policy. It recurs in RAS because camel decline connects physical geography with agriculture, animal husbandry and Rajasthan-specific policy measures.