The correct answer is: A. Asiatic lion
The Asiatic lion is a subspecies of lion that is native to Asia. It is the only surviving subspecies of lion in Asia, and it is found in the Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat, India. The Asiatic lion is a large cat, with males weighing up to 250 kilograms and females weighing up to 150 kilograms. They have a tawny coat with a dark mane, and they are sexually dimorphic, meaning that the males and females have different physical characteristics. The males have a long, thick mane that covers their head, neck, and shoulders, while the females have a short, sparse mane.
The Asiatic lion is a social animal, and they live in prides of up to 40 individuals. The pride is led by a dominant male, who mates with all of the females in the pride. The cubs are born after a gestation period of about 100 days, and they are raised by the entire pride.
The Asiatic lion is an endangered species, and there are only about 600 individuals left in the wild. The main threats to the Asiatic lion are habitat loss, poaching, and human-lion conflict. Habitat loss is a major problem, as the Gir Forest National Park is surrounded by agricultural land and human settlements. Poaching is also a major problem, as lions are killed for their fur, bones, and meat. Human-lion conflict is also a problem, as lions sometimes attack livestock and people.
The government of India has taken a number of steps to protect the Asiatic lion, including establishing the Gir Forest National Park, creating a captive breeding program, and cracking down on poaching. However, the Asiatic lion remains an endangered species, and more needs to be done to protect it.
The other options are:
- B. Snow leopard: The snow leopard is a subspecies of leopard that is native to the mountains of Central Asia. It is a large cat, with males weighing up to 90 kilograms and females weighing up to 45 kilograms. They have a thick, white coat with black spots, and they are sexually dimorphic, meaning that the males and females have different physical characteristics. The males have a long, thick mane that covers their head, neck, and shoulders, while the females have a short, sparse mane.
- C. Gaur (Mithun): The gaur is a large bovine that is native to the forests of Asia. It is the largest bovine in the world, with males weighing up to 1,800 kilograms and females weighing up to 1,000 kilograms. They have a dark brown coat with a white belly, and they are sexually dimorphic, meaning that the males and females have different physical characteristics. The males have a large, thick neck and head, while the females have a smaller, more slender neck and head.
- D. None of These: This option is incorrect, as the Asiatic lion is the state animal of Gujarat.