In which of the following States is lion-tailed macaque found in its natural habitat?
- 1.Tamil Nadu
- 2.Kerala
- 3.Karnataka
- 4.Andhra Pradesh
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only
The lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) is found only in India and is endemic to the Western Ghats. Its native range is limited to Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Andhra Pradesh is not part of its natural range, so the answer is 1, 2 and 3 only.
- ✓ 1. Tamil Nadu is within the native range. The species occurs in the state's Western Ghats forests.
- ✓ 2. Kerala is within the native range, in the Western Ghats forests.
- ✓ 3. Karnataka is within the native range, in the Western Ghats forests of the state.
- ✗ 4. Andhra Pradesh is not among the states where the species is native. The macaque is a Western Ghats rainforest species and does not occur there naturally.
- ✗ (b) Kerala alone is too narrow, because the species also occurs naturally in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- ✗ (d) Including Andhra Pradesh is wrong, because it lies outside the species' Western Ghats range.
Remember · Lion-tailed macaque: endangered and endemic to the Western Ghats of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu only. It is not found in Andhra Pradesh.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 9 Exploration, Ch 12 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- IUCN Red List: Macaca silenus (Lion-tailed Macaque), geographic range ↗ “Native Extant (resident) India (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu) Number of locations Upper elevation limit 1,800 metres”
- NCERT Class 9 · Exploration, Chapter 12 “Lion-tailed macaque (Fig. 12.1b), Indian variety of the pitcher plant — Nepenthes khasiana (Fig. 12.1c) and Neelakurinji (Fig. 12.1d) are found only in India.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2013, General Studies Paper I. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·
