2024 · Q39
With reference to 'Black Tigers', which of the following statements is/are correct?
- 1They are also referred to as Melanistic Tigers
- 2In India they are found only in Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha Select the answer using the code given below:
indian-world-geographyindia-physiography
- A1 only
- B2 only
- CBoth 1 and 2
- DNeither 1 nor 2
Explanation
The 'black tigers' are pseudo-melanistic Royal Bengal Tigers — a rare colour morph found in the wild only in Odisha's Similipal Tiger Reserve, a fact confirmed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Odisha government (the morph arises from a mutation in the Taqpep gene documented in Similipal's small, isolated population). Statement 1 correctly identifies Similipal as the only place where they are found in the wild, and statement 2 correctly states that they are melanistic Royal Bengal Tigers. Both statements are therefore correct.