Consider the following pairs :
| Wildlife | Naturally found in |
|---|---|
| 1. Blue-finned Mahseer | Cauvery River |
| 2. Irrawaddy Dolphin | Chambal River |
| 3. Rusty-spotted Cat | Eastern Ghats |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”2 and 3 only” option3=”1 and 3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option3″]
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2019
– Pair 2: Irrawaddy Dolphin (*Orcaella brevirostris*) is found in coastal areas, estuaries, and certain rivers in Southeast Asia and parts of the Bay of Bengal. In India, they are notably found in Chilika Lake. They are *not* naturally found in the Chambal River. The Ganges River Dolphin is found in the Chambal. This pair is incorrectly matched.
– Pair 3: The Rusty-spotted Cat (*Prionailurus rubiginosus*) is one of the smallest wild cat species and is found in India (including parts of the Eastern and Western Ghats), Sri Lanka, and Nepal. This pair is correctly matched.
– The Rusty-spotted Cat is listed as ‘Near Threatened’ by the IUCN.
– Various species of Mahseer are found across Indian rivers; accurate identification and distribution can be complex, but *Tor remadevii* is well-documented in the Cauvery system.