Prelims 2020 · Environment · Question 92
With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements:
- The leader of an elephant group is a female.
- The maximum gestation period can be 22 months.
- An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only.
- Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer
1 and 2 only
1. Leader of an elephant group is a female — Correct. Elephant herds are matriarchal; the group is typically led by an older female (matriarch).
2. Maximum gestation period can be 22 months — Correct. Elephants have one of the longest gestation periods among mammals, about 20–22 months.
3. An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only — Incorrect. Female elephants can reproduce beyond 40 years; they may continue calving into their 50s under normal conditions.
4. Highest elephant population in India is in Kerala — Incorrect. Kerala has a large elephant population, but the highest population has been recorded in Karnataka, not Kerala.
Therefore, statements 1 and 2 only are correct.