Why in the News?

Wildlife authorities in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul & Spiti district have initiated surveys to estimate the population of Blue Sheep (bharal) and Himalayan Ibex (Tangor), vital prey species for the iconic snow leopard.
- This move aims to assess the region’s biodiversity and promote conservation efforts.

About the Species Mentioned

	Bharal (Blue Sheep)	Himalayan Ibex (Tangor)
Scientific Name	Pseudois nayaur	Capra sibirica hemalayanus
Genus	Pseudois	Capra
Distribution	India, Bhutan, China (Gansu, Ningxia, Sichuan, Tibet, Inner Mongolia), Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan	Himalayan region of India, Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal
Features	Slate grey coat with bluish shine Horns grow upwards, curve out, and then towards the back	Large curved horns with notches on the front Light brown to reddish-brown coat, white belly, black and white markings on legs Thick, woolly coat in winter, shed in early summer
Behavior	Active throughout the day, alternating between feeding and resting on grassy mountain slopes	Usually found in small herds, sometimes around 50 together; Can run at speeds of up to 50 km/h
Conservation Status	IUCN Red List: Least Concern Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule 1	IUCN Red List: Near Threatened Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule 1

[2013] Consider the following fauna of India :

1. Gharial

2. Leatherback turtle

3. Swamp deer

Which of the above is/are endangered?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(d) None