Which Indian region is an ecological hot spot? — UPSC Prelims PYQ 1996

Which one of the following regions of India is now regarded as an ‘ecological hot spot’?

1. Western Himalayas
2. Eastern Himalayas
3. Western Ghats
4. Eastern Ghats

Explanation

Option (c) is correct

• The Western Ghats are regarded as one of the world’s major ecological hotspots because they possess exceptionally high biodiversity and a large number of endemic species (species found nowhere else in the world). They stretch parallel to the western coast of India and are home to rich tropical forests, numerous medicinal plants, amphibians, reptiles, and endangered species.

Answer: (c) Western Ghats