Civil Services Prep

Prelims 2012 · Environment · Question 95

What is the difference between the antelopes Oryx and Chiru?

  1. Oryx is adapted to live in hot and arid areas whereas Chiru is adapted to live in steppes and semi-desert areas of cold high mountains.
  2. Oryx is poached for its antlers whereas Chiru is poached for its musk.
  3. Oryx exists in western India only whereas Chiru exists in north-east India only.
  4. None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is correct.

Answer

Oryx is adapted to live in hot and arid areas whereas Chiru is adapted to live in steppes and semi-desert areas of cold high mountains.

  • (a) Correct. Oryx is a desert antelope adapted to hot, arid regions; Chiru (Tibetan antelope) lives in the cold high-altitude steppes and semi-deserts of the Tibetan Plateau.
  • (b) Incorrect. Oryx is not poached for antlers (antelopes have horns, not antlers). Chiru is poached for shahtoosh wool, not musk.
  • (c) Incorrect. Oryx is not a species confined to western India only; Chiru in India occurs in the trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh, not north-east India.
  • Since only (a) is correct, the answer is (a).
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