Correct option is D
The correct answer is (d) Both 1 and 2 are correct.
Statement 1: India is the only country in the world that has both tigers and lions – This statement is correct.
- India is unique in being the only country where both Asiatic lions (found in Gir forest) and Bengal tigers (found across various states) coexist in the wild.
- While lions are also found in Africa, the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) is found only in India.
Statement 2: The natural habitat of the Indian lion is the Gir forest in Gujarat. Tigers are found in the forests of Madhya Pradesh, the Sundarbans of West Bengal, and the Himalayan region – This statement is correct.
- The Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat is the only natural habitat of the Asiatic lion.Tigers are widely distributed in India and are found in several regions, including:
Madhya Pradesh: Known as the "Tiger State" of India, it has several tiger reserves like Kanha, Bandhavgarh, and Pench.
Sundarbans, West Bengal: Famous for its Royal Bengal Tigers adapted to the mangrove habitat.Himalayan region: Tigers are also found in parts of the Himalayan foothills, including Uttarakhand (Jim Corbett National Park).
Information Booster:
The government of India launched the "Asiatic Lion Conservation Project" to protect and conserve the world's last-ranging free population of Asiatic Lion and its ecosystem in 2018.
- Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule 1
- CITES: Appendix I
- IUCN Red List: Endangered
- The Gir Forest is home to about 674 Asiatic lions (as per the 2020 census).
Project Tiger:
- Launched in 1973, it has helped in the conservation of tigers across 53 tiger reserves in India, with a current estimated population of approximately 3,167 tigers (as per the 2022 census).
- IUCN Status: Endangered
- CITES Status: Appendix I
- Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule 1
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