Answer: (A)

Explanation:

Recently, the Parliamentary Committee questioned the accuracy of the Union Animal Husbandry Ministry's data on the deaths of over two lakh cattle and buffaloes due to lumpy skin disease in 2022 and 2023. Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a viral disease that affects cattle and water buffalo. It is caused by the lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), which is a member of the Poxviridae family. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
LSD infects cattle and water buffalo mainly through vectors such as blood-feeding insects. Signs of infection include the appearance of circular, firm nodes on the animal’s hide or skin that look similar to lumps. Infected animals immediately start losing weight and may have fever and lesions in the mouth, along with a reduced milk yield. Other symptoms include excessive nasal and salivary secretion. Pregnant cows and buffaloes often suffer miscarriage and, in some cases, diseased animals can die due to it as well. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
LSDV is not a zoonotic virus, meaning the disease cannot spread to humans. This skin disease is transmitted by blood-feeding insects, such as certain species of flies and mosquitoes or ticks. It is characterized by fever, nodules on the skin, mucous membranes and internal organs, emaciation, enlarged lymph nodes and sometimes death. The first case of LSD in India was reported in Gujarat in May 2022. There is no treatment for the virus, so prevention by vaccination is the most effective means of control. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Answer: (C)

Explanation: The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is an irregular satellite galaxy that orbits the Milky Way every 1,500 million years. It is one of the closest galaxies to Earth. It is about 163,000 light-years away from the earth and is visible to the naked eye in the Southern Hemisphere. The LMC and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) are two irregular galaxies that orbit the Milky Way. The Magellanic Clouds share a gaseous envelope and lie about 22° apart in the sky near the south celestial pole. The LMC is rich in dark matter, which makes its mass considerably larger. The interaction of the LMC with the Milky Way is creating new stars. The Magellanic Clouds are named after the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who observed them during his voyage. Hence, both statements are correct.

Answer: (C)

Explanation: Photoreception is the biological process by which photoreceptors in the eye detect and convert light into electrical signals that the brain interprets as vision. Photoreceptors are specialized cells in the retina that absorb light waves and convert them into electrical signals. There are two types of photoreceptors, Rods and Cones. Rods detect dim light (scotopic vision) and are used for night vision while cones mediate daylight vision and color perception (photopic vision). Humans have three distinct color-sensing cones—for red, green and blue light. Diurnal creatures have cone-rich retinas for clear daylight vision, while nocturnal animals use rod cells and rhodopsin for better low-light sight. Hence, Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect.

Answer: (D)

Explanation: Recently, the South Wayanad Forest Division officials shifted a 13-year-old male tiger from Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary to a quarantine facility at Puthur Zoological Park in Thrissur for safety. The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1973 and is located in Kerala's Wayanad district. The sanctuary is a component of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO-designated area) and of the Elephant Reserve No. 7 of South India. It covers the Wayanad Plateau, situated at the confluence of three biologically distinct and diverse regions- the main Western Ghat Mountains, the Nilgiri Hills and the Deccan Plateau. Kabini River, a tributary of the Kaveri River flows through the sanctuary. The flora consists of moist deciduous forests, West coast semi-evergreen forests, and teak, eucalyptus, and Grewelia plantations. The fauna includes Elephant, Gaur, Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Spotted deer, Barking deer, Wild boar, Sloth bear, Nilgiri langur and more. Hence, option (d) is correct.

Answer: (B)

Explanation: Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia and is one of the most saline bodies of water in the world. Six countries border the Red Sea namely Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti. The Red Sea, a vital shipping route, connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Indian Ocean. Hence, option (b) is correct.