RAS question
The Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park in Jodhpur preserves the ecology of:
Correct answer: (D) The rocky terrain around Mehrangarh Fort.
Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park in Jodhpur preserves the natural ecology of the rocky terrain around Mehrangarh Fort.
Explanation
Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park is linked to the rocky landscape beside Mehrangarh Fort, not to a generic desert landform. The official Mehrangarh Museum Trust page says the park was created in 2006 to restore the natural ecology of a large rocky wasteland next to the fort in Jodhpur. Its setting across rocky land surrounding the fort explains why option D is precise: the park conserves and restores the ecology of that terrain. The park also showcases desert plants native to the Thar Desert region, so the ecological focus is arid-zone plant life on rocky ground, not dunes, wetlands or grassland.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Grasslands are wrong because the park restores a large rocky wasteland next to Mehrangarh Fort, not a grassland habitat.
- (B) Sand dunes are wrong because the park occupies rocky land around the fort, not dune terrain.
- (C) Wetlands are wrong because the site is dry, rocky desert terrain, not a water-based ecosystem.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan geography through the link between a named conservation site and its actual physical landscape. It recurs in RAS because similar questions check whether candidates can distinguish precise local ecology from broad desert stereotypes.