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 ?
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Answer: A. Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh protects the hard-ground barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii branderi), a swamp deer subspecies that lives on hard ground and grazes only on grass. It is the State animal of Madhya Pradesh.
Watch for: 'Swamp deer' makes students think of wet places like Manas.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Wrong because Manas has the wetland swamp deer form, not the hard-ground subspecies.
- C. Wrong because Mudumalai has no barasingha population.
- D. Wrong because Tal Chhapar is known for blackbuck.
Source to check: Kanha Tiger Reserve website (kanhanationalpark.com / MP Forest Department); Wildlife Institute of India
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.