RAS question
Kaziranga National Park in Assam is famous for:
Correct answer: (D) One-horned Indian Rhinoceros.
Kaziranga National Park in Assam is famous for the one-horned Indian rhinoceros.
Explanation
The Government of Assam's Golaghat district page identifies Kaziranga National Park as famous for its one-horned rhinoceros. The park lies in the Golaghat, Nagaon and Sonitpur districts of Assam, between the Brahmaputra River and the Karbi Hills. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. In March 2022, it had 2,613 one-horned Indian rhinoceroses—the world's largest population of the species and more than 2,600 animals. The one-horned rhinoceros is therefore Kaziranga's main recognition point. Kaziranga is also a Tiger Reserve, but "Royal Bengal Tiger only" is not the best answer because the one-horned rhinoceros is Kaziranga's signature species.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Royal Bengal Tiger only is too narrow because Kaziranga is famous for the one-horned rhinoceros, while tiger status is an additional fact.
- (B) Snow Leopard is not associated with Kaziranga; this Assam park is famous for the one-horned rhinoceros.
- (C) Asiatic Lion is not the species associated with Kaziranga; Kaziranga's signature animal is the one-horned rhinoceros.
Concept
Protected areas and their flagship species form a core part of Environment and Ecology. RAS repeats such pairs because they connect biodiversity, World Heritage status and state-wise national parks in a compact factual frame.