Indian Flora and Fauna

The Markhor is a wild goat species native to Pakistan and officially designated as the national animal. It is known for its distinctive twisted horns and is an endangered species found in the mountainous regions of Pakistan.

The cheetah is officially designated as Kenya's national animal. Kenya is renowned for its cheetah populations in national parks like the Maasai Mara. Cheetahs are the fastest land animals and represent Kenya's rich wildlife heritage.

The lion is officially designated as Sri Lanka's national animal. The Sri Lankan leopard is a subspecies native to the island, but the lion appears on Sri Lanka's flag and represents strength and nobility in Sinhalese culture.

The Royal Bengal Tiger is officially designated as Bangladesh's national animal. This majestic predator is found primarily in the Sundarbans mangrove forest. Bangladesh takes pride in hosting the world's largest population of Royal Bengal Tigers.

In July 2001, Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneshwar witnessed a tragic incident where 12 tigers died from trypanosomiasis, a parasitic infection. This remains one of the worst tiger disasters in Indian zoo history.

The Great Indian Hornbill is the official state bird of Kerala. This large, distinctive bird with its yellow and black casque was chosen as Kerala's state bird due to its cultural significance and presence in the Western Ghats region.

Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Andhra Pradesh, along the Manjira River which is a tributary of the Godavari. It was established to protect the crocodile population and serves as an important wetland ecosystem. Gujarat, Kerala, and Himachal Pradesh are incorrect locations.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Kerala, in the Thekkady district. It is one of India's most visited tiger reserves and is known for its elephant population and picturesque lake. Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Haryana are incorrect locations.

B.R Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Karnataka, in the Chamarajanagar district. It is part of the Western Ghats and is known for its diverse flora and fauna including the Asiatic elephant. Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh are incorrect locations.

Sanjay Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Maharashtra, specifically in Thane district near Mumbai. It is one of the most visited national parks in India and serves as an important green lung for the Mumbai metropolitan region. West Bengal, Haryana, and Rajasthan are incorrect locations.

Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Uttar Pradesh, in Lakhimpur Kheri district. It is part of the Terai Arc Landscape and provides habitat for the swamp deer and tiger. Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Assam are incorrect locations.

Sampurna was the world's first cloned buffalo calf, created by the National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal, India, in 2009. Dolly was a sheep (the first mammal cloned), while Vijayanti and Garima are not associated with this achievement. This marked a significant milestone in Indian biotechnology and livestock cloning.

The Bengal Tiger is India's national animal, declared as such in 1973 due to its cultural significance and presence in Indian mythology. The cheetah (B) is primarily associated with Iran, while the elephant (C) represents Thailand and Laos. The crocodile (D) is not a national animal of India.

Shera, a Royal Bengal Tiger, was the official mascot of the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in Delhi, India. The name 'Shera' is derived from 'Sher' which means tiger in Hindi. 'Lion' and 'Tiger' are generic animal names, not mascots, while 'Sheru' is a misspelling - the correct name is Shera.