Consider the following statements regarding the Indian squirrels :
1. They build nests by making burrows in the ground.
2. They store their food materials like nuts and seeds in the ground.
3. They are omnivorous.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Explanation:
- Indian squirrels, like many squirrel species, are primarily arboreal creatures, which means they live in trees. They build nests, often called dreys, in trees, not burrows in the ground. This statement is incorrect.
- Squirrels do have a behavior known as “caching” where they store their food materials like nuts and seeds. Some species, like the Eastern Gray Squirrel, do cache food in the ground. However, not all Indian squirrels display this behavior. For instance, Indian giant squirrels, have been observed to not store food, relying on the abundant food in their habitat. So, this statement is partly correct but doesn’t apply to all Indian squirrels.
- Indian squirrels, like most squirrels, are primarily herbivorous, meaning their diet consists mainly of a wide variety of plants, including nuts, seeds, conifer cones, fruits, fungi, and green vegetation. However, they also eat insects and other small animals when the opportunity arises, so they could be considered omnivorous in a broad sense. This statement is correct.
So, only one statement is fully correct. Hence, the answer is: (a) Only one
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