With respect to the Western Hoolock Gibbons, which of the following statements is/are correct ?
- 1.A Sanctuary in North-east India is home to this ape species listed as Endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
- 2.They have specialized brachiation and can easily swing between trees.
- 3.They possess a strong and heavy build like gorillas, yet are remarkably agile tree climbers.
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Answer: B. Statement 1 is correct: the Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary in Assam protects the Western Hoolock Gibbon, listed Endangered by IUCN. Statement 2 is correct: gibbons move by brachiation, swinging arm over arm between branches. Statement 3 is wrong: gibbons are small, light 'lesser apes', not heavy like gorillas. So 1 and 2.
Watch for: The word 'ape' makes students imagine a large gorilla-like animal.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because statement 2 is also correct.
- C. Wrong because gibbons are slender and light, not gorilla-like.
- D. Wrong because statement 3 is false.
Source to check: IUCN Red List entry for Hoolock hoolock; Assam Forest Department page on Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary
Answer from the provisional UPSC key; it may change when the final key is out. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.