RAS question
Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary and Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, both Ramsar Sites, are in which state?
Correct answer: (C) Tamil Nadu.
Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary and Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary are both Ramsar Sites in Tamil Nadu.
Explanation
The answer is Tamil Nadu because the official MoEFCC list of Ramsar Sites places both Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary and Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary under the Tamil Nadu section. The list records both sites as designated on 08-04-2022, with Udhayamarthandapuram covering 44 hectares and Vedanthangal covering 40 hectares. For RAS, the key point is not the ecological features of the sanctuaries, but their state location among India's Ramsar Sites. These names are worth remembering because Vedanthangal is one of India's old and well-known heronries, while Udhayamarthandapuram in Tiruvarur district is associated with thousands of migratory birds.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Andhra Pradesh is wrong because the MoEFCC Ramsar list places Udhayamarthandapuram and Vedanthangal under Tamil Nadu, not under Andhra Pradesh.
- (B) Karnataka is wrong because its Ramsar entries are listed separately, while both named bird sanctuaries appear in the Tamil Nadu block of the MoEFCC list.
- (D) Kerala is wrong because the official list gives Kerala its own Ramsar sites, but Udhayamarthandapuram and Vedanthangal are recorded under Tamil Nadu.
Concept
This tests Ramsar Site mapping, a recurring Environment and Ecology area in RAS because exam questions often pair wetland names with their correct state. Tamil Nadu is especially important because it leads India in the number of Ramsar Sites.