Which one of the following protected areas is well-known for the conservation of a sub-species of the Indian swamp deer (Barasingha) that thrives well on hard ground and is exclusively graminivorous?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) Kanha National Park
Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh) is the home of the hard-ground barasingha, Rucervus duvaucelii branderi, the swamp-deer sub-species that lives on firm ground and feeds only on grass. It is Madhya Pradesh's State animal.
- ✓ (a) The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department calls the hard-ground barasingha the State animal and says it is found exclusively in Kanha; until recently Kanha held the only world population of this sub-species.
- ✗ (b) Manas (Assam) also shelters swamp deer, so it tempts, but it is known for the rhino, tiger, pygmy hog and Bengal florican; the hard-ground form is Kanha's.
- ✗ (c) Mudumalai (Tamil Nadu, Nilgiris) is known for elephant, gaur and tiger; its official fauna list has no swamp deer.
- ✗ (d) Tal Chhapar (Churu, Rajasthan) is known as a haven for blackbuck and birds, not for barasingha.
Remember · Hard-ground barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii branderi) is Kanha's flagship deer and Madhya Pradesh's State animal.
Sources
- Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh Forest Department e-brochure ↗ “The State animal of Madhya Pradesh - Hard Ground Barasingha is found exclusively in Kanha Tiger Reserve.”
- Kanha Tiger Reserve, MEE-TR portal (Wildlife Institute of India) ↗ “Besides the viable population of tigers and, till recently, the only world population of the hard ground barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii branderi), a wide range of plant and animal species”
- Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, UNESCO World Heritage Centre ↗ “The site provides critical and viable habitats for rare and endangered species, including tiger, greater one-horned rhino, swamp deer, pygmy hog and Bengal florican.”
- Mudumalai Tiger Reserve brief note, National Tiger Conservation Authority ↗ “Fauna The faunal assemblage include: elephant, gaur, sambar, four homed antelope, spotted deer, barking deer, blackbuck, wild pig, mouse deer and predators like tiger, leopard and wild dog.”
- Parks and Wildlife, Rajasthan Tourism (Government of Rajasthan) ↗ “Renowned for being a safe haven black bucks and a variety of birds, this sanctuary is named after the Chhapar village.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·