UPSC Prelims 2024 Q25: Environment & Ecology – Ecosystems & Ecology Concepts
Consider the following statements:
1. Lions do not have a particular breeding season.
2. Unlike most other big cats, cheetahs do not roar.
3. Unlike male lions, male leopards do not proclaim their territory by scent marking.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
Explanation
Big-cat behaviour — three statements
| Statement | Verdict | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lions have no particular breeding season | Correct | Lions breed all year round; lionesses in a pride often cycle together |
| 2. Cheetahs do not roar | Correct | Cheetahs purr, chirp and hiss; they lack the flexible larynx of roaring cats |
| 3. Male leopards do not scent-mark | Wrong | Leopards do mark territory with urine spray, scrapes and claw marks |
Roaring vs non-roaring cats:
| Can roar (genus Panthera) | Cannot roar |
|---|---|
| Lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar | Cheetah, snow leopard, puma, smaller cats |
| Elastic larynx and hyoid ligament | Rigid hyoid bone; can purr continuously |
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Lions breed year-round and cheetahs cannot roar; leopards do scent-mark.
- (b) Incorrect. Statement 3 is false; male leopards spray urine and scrape to mark territory.
- (c) Incorrect. It leaves out the true Statement 2 and includes the false Statement 3.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 3 is false, so 'all three' cannot be right.
Key point
Lions breed year-round; cheetahs purr and chirp but cannot roar; all big cats, including leopards, scent-mark.
Remember
Cheetahs cannot roar, lions breed all year, and leopards do scent-mark.
Common mistakes
- Assuming all big cats roar; the cheetah is not in the genus Panthera.
- Thinking solitary leopards need no territory marking; solitary cats rely on scent marks even more.
- Assuming wild animals all have fixed breeding seasons; lions do not.
Exam tip
Roar = Panthera (lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar). Cheetah sits in its own genus, Acinonyx.
Sources
- Wildlife Institute of India — Cheetah action plan (2022)
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — Panthera leo and Acinonyx jubatus