Consider the following animals:
- 1.Hedgehog
- 2.Marmot
- 3.Pangolin
To reduce the chance of being captured by predators, which of the above organisms rolls up/roll up and protects/protect its/their vulnerable parts?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) 1 and 3
Both the hedgehog (covered in spines) and the pangolin (covered in hard scales) curl into a tight ball when threatened, so that only the armour faces the predator and the soft parts are hidden. The marmot, a burrowing rodent, instead whistles an alarm and runs into its burrow.
- ✓ 1. When frightened, a hedgehog rolls into a tight ball with its snout and limbs tucked under its body, which makes its spines erect and shields the soft parts.
- ✗ 2. Marmots are burrowing rodents; when danger is near, a sentinel marmot whistles sharply so that colony members can escape into the nearest burrow, rather than rolling up.
- ✓ 3. The Indian pangolin is armoured with overlapping horny scales and rolls into a ball when threatened.
Remember · Roll-up defence: hedgehog (spines) and pangolin (scales). Marmots whistle an alarm and flee to burrows.
Sources
- Hedgehog Zoonoses, Emerging Infectious Diseases (PubMed Central) ↗ “When frightened by an unfamiliar sound or movement, the animal rolls into a tight ball”
- Arun District Council (UK), Wild Wednesday: European Hedgehog ↗ “Hedgehogs are known for their ability to roll themselves into a ball of spines when threatened.”
- Kerala Forest & Wildlife Department: Fauna (Indian Pangolin) ↗ “The most distinctive feature of the Indian Pangolin is its armor of overlapping horny scales, offering protection by allowing them to roll into a ball when threatened.”
- US National Park Service, Marmot (Rocky Mountain National Park) ↗ “While feeding out in the open, one marmot stands as a sentinel and whistles sharply when danger is near. This gives each colony member a chance to escape into the nearest burrow entrance.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·