Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Keoladeo National Park
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question lies at the intersection of Indian geography, environment and UNESCO heritage. UNESCO World Heritage Sites are places recognised for their cultural or natural significance. Several Indian national parks have received this status. The question asks you to identify which park in the list is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so you must connect the park name with its global recognition.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Keoladeo National Park, also known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park or Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan, is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a natural site due to its importance as a bird habitat, especially for migratory birds. Jim Corbett, Namdapha and Keibul Lamjao are important parks but are not on the UNESCO list as standalone World Heritage Sites in the same way. The approach is to match the park names with the UNESCO list that you may have studied from environment or GK books.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, is famous for bird watching and wetland ecosystems.
Step 2: Remember that UNESCO has recognised Keoladeo National Park as a World Heritage Site because of its exceptional biodiversity and its role as a wintering ground for migratory waterfowl.
Step 3: Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand is India's oldest national park and part of the Project Tiger network, but it is not individually listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Step 4: Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh is a biodiversity hotspot, yet it has not been granted UNESCO World Heritage status as of standard exam references.
Step 5: Keibul Lamjao National Park in Manipur is famous for the floating brow antlered deer habitat (sangai), but again, it is not on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Step 6: Therefore, Keoladeo National Park is the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by recalling lists of Indian World Heritage Sites where natural sites often include Kaziranga, Manas, Keoladeo, Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers, Sundarbans and others. Keoladeo appears in that list as a bird sanctuary, confirming its UNESCO status. The other three parks here are famous but do not appear on that list in typical exam guides.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Jim Corbett National Park: Important for tiger conservation, but not designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in standard references.
Namdapha National Park: Rich in biodiversity, yet it has not been awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO.
Keibul Lamjao National Park: Unique for its floating vegetation and rare deer, but again not a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may assume that the oldest or most famous tiger reserve must also be a World Heritage Site and therefore choose Jim Corbett. Others may have heard of Keibul Lamjao's uniqueness and mistakenly think it must be on the UNESCO list. The safest strategy is to memorise the specific list of Indian natural World Heritage Sites and not rely only on general fame or age of the park.
Final Answer:
Among the options given, the park that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site is Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan.
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