Environment · 18 Jul 2026

elephant capture Wildlife Protection Act

Consider the following statements regarding the recent capture of a traumatised elephant in Andhra Pradesh:

  1. The capture operation was authorised under Section 11 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, requiring permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden.
  2. The elephant showed calmer responses to younger Kumki elephants compared to older ones.
  3. The Asian elephant is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act,

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A1 only
B1 and 2 only
C2 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3

Tests the ability to combine a procedural/statutory fact, a behavioural detail from the narrative and a static classification fact into one composite judgement.

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This question is based on: Three Years, One Highway: What a 'Grieving' Elephant Reveals About Infrastructure and Trauma
Take this in full test mode → Instructions for 18 Jul 2026
About this question

Why in news

A sub-adult tusker that lost its entire herd to a highway collision in 2023 was finally captured on July 15, 2026, after three years of trauma-driven conflict, using a coordinated Kumki-assisted operation.

Why for UPSC

UPSC often anchors a static fact (Schedule I status) to a live current-affairs event, testing whether aspirants connect news-driven species mentions to their formal protection status.

Prelims summary

Elephant capture operations require Section 11 WPA authorisation from the Chief Wildlife Warden; Kumki elephants' age-matched social response was used strategically; the Asian elephant holds Schedule I status under the WPA, 1972.

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