Daily Prelims Notes 10 April 2024

Daily Prelims Notes

10 April 2024

Table of Contents

1. Nobel laureate Peter Higgs, who proposed existence of ‘god particle’, dies at 94
2. Two reasons why food inflation may soften in the months ahead
3. At least 20 firms bought electoral bonds within 3 years of incorporation, a punishable offence: Data
4. SC questions Centre’s rigid position on control over industrial alcohol
5. The ‘import restrictions’ on solar PV cells
6. Russia-Kazakhstan floods: Is climate change warming the Ural Mountains and western Siberia?
7. Swiss women win landmark climate victory at human rights court
8. Strategic military infra upgrade in the works for Andaman & Nicobar Islands
9. Why Botswana threatened to send 20000 elephants to Germany
10. As abundant chital cost authorities dearly, a tiny Andaman island struggles to keep up

1. Nobel laureate Peter Higgs, who proposed existence of ‘god particle’, dies at 94

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Space

Context:

Nobel prize-winning physicist Peter Higgs, who proposed the existence of the so-called “god particle” that helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang, has died at age 94.

More on news:

• In 2012, in one of the biggest breakthroughs in physics in decades, scientists at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, announced that they had finally found a Higgs boson using the $10 billion particle collider built in a 17-mile (27-kilometer) tunnel under the Swiss-French border.
• Higgs won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work, alongside Francois Englert of Belgium, who independently came up with the same theory.

About Higgs Boson Particle:

• Higgs predicted the existence of a new particle, the so-called Higgs boson in 1964. 
• In 2012, the Nobel-winning discovery of the Higgs boson(also known as ‘God particle’) validated the Standard Model of physics, which also predicts that about 60% of the time a Higgs boson will decay to a pair of bottom quarks.
• In the 1960s Peter Higgs was the first person to suggest that this particle might exist.
• The Standard Model of particle physics is the theory which describes three of the four known fundamental forces (the electromagnetic, weak, and strong interactions, and not including the gravitational force) in the universe, as well as classifies all known elementary particles.
• Scientists do not yet know how to combine gravity with the Standard Model.
• The Higgs particle is a boson.
• Bosons are thought to be particles which are responsible for all physical forces.
• Other known bosons are the photon, the W and Z bosons, and the gluon.
• It would be almost 50 years before the particle’s existence could be confirmed at the Large Hadron Collider.
• Higgs’ theory relates to how subatomic particles that are the building blocks of matter get their mass.
• This theoretical understanding is a central part of the so-called Standard Model, which describes the physics of how the world is constructed.

2. Two reasons why food inflation may soften in the months ahead

Subject: Economy

Section: Inflation

Context:

• The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) noted how food price pressures have been interrupting the ongoing disinflation process, posing challenges for the final descent of inflation to the target [of 4%].

More on news:

• At 8.7% in February, retail food inflation stood above the overall year-on-year consumer price increase of 5.1%.

The drivers for this are primarily two:

• The first is international prices
  • The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization’s food price index averaged 118.3 points in March 2024. 
  • A 7.7% drop from a year ago and 26.2% lower than the all-time high of 160.3 points touched in March 2022, just immediately after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
  • The index – a weighted average of the world prices of a basket of food commodities over a base period value (taken at 100 for 2014-16) – had fallen for seven months in a row, from July 2023 to February 2024, before edging up in March.
  • The above rise has been mainly courtesy of the index for vegetable oils registering a jump from 120.9 points to 130.6 points.
  • The cereal price index, on the other hand, has continued its declining trajectory. 

• • Easing global food prices – a result of bumper harvests in key producing countries and supply lines being restored post the Covid and Ukraine War-induced disruptions – make imports more feasible.
  • For wheat, the estimated stocks of about 7.6 million tonnes (mt) on April 1 were at a 16-year-low and precariously close to the minimum buffer norm of 7.46 mt for this date.
  • The primary reason for that has been the delayed onset of winter this time.
  • Above-normal temperatures in November-December are said to have caused premature initiation of flowering and cut short the crop’s vegetative growth phase in many parts of central India.
• The second driver is a possible La Niña
  • India’s pulses imports were valued at $3.17 billion during April-February 2023-24, over 80% up from the $1.76 billion for the corresponding 11 months of 2022-23. 

• • The above surge in imports was attributable to El Niño i.e. the abnormal warming of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean waters towards Ecuador and Peru, generally known to suppress rain in India.
  • 2023 did see patchy southwest monsoon (June-September) rainfall, extending to the succeeding northeast (October-December) and winter (January-February) seasons as well.
  • The brunt of dry weather was borne by Karnataka and Maharashtra, which are also major pulses-growing states.
  • The Union Agriculture Ministry has estimated the country’s pulses output to have dipped to 23.4 mt in 2023-24, from 26.1 mt and 27.3 mt in the preceding two years.
  • Imports – especially of red lentil (masoor), arhar (pigeon pea) and yellow/white peas (matar) – have kept a lid on prices.
  • This is unlike with vegetable oils (minus 14%), where the disinflation has come largely on the back of a global price crash and three years of record imports (chart 3).

The good news is that El Niño is weakening. 

• The latest three-month-running Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) – which measures the average sea surface temperature deviation from the normal in the east-central equatorial Pacific region – for January-March 2024 was 1.5 degrees Celsius.
• Given the past association of La Niña with surplus rainfall in India and these conditions expected to set in by the second half of the southwest monsoon season  it raises hopes of a bountiful agricultural year in 2024-25.
• To the extent that helps mitigate food inflation pressures, it would be manna from heaven for the government to take charge after the Lok Sabha election results in June 2024.

3. At least 20 firms bought electoral bonds within 3 years of incorporation, a punishable offence: Data

Subject: Polity

Section: Elections

Context:

• Despite a legal prohibition against companies less than three years old making political contributions, including through electoral bonds, data indicates that at least 20 such new firms purchased electoral bonds totalling about ₹103 crores.

Details:

• Many of these companies were established during economically challenging times in India, such as the 2019 recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, and proceeded to buy substantial amounts of electoral bonds shortly after their incorporation.
• Historically, the restriction on new companies (less than three years old) making political donations has been in place for nearly four decades, aiming to prevent shell companies from channelling funds to political parties.
• Despite amendments over the years, including those related to the cap on the amount a company could donate, this age restriction was maintained to combat the potential misuse of funds, including money laundering and the use of black money.
• Concerns are being raised by the Election Commission of India and the Reserve Bank of India regarding the removal of the cap on donation amounts and the potential for electoral bonds to be used for money laundering and funnelling black money into the political system. The issue highlights discrepancies in the enforcement of legal provisions meant to prevent new companies from influencing political finance through substantial contributions.

About the Electoral Bond scheme and Supreme Court verdict on it:

Restrictions that were done away with after the introduction of the electoral bond scheme:

• Earlier, no foreign company could donate to any political party under the Companies Act
• A firm could donate a maximum of 7.5 per cent of its average three-year net profit as political donations according to Section 182 of the Companies Act.
  • As per the same section of the Act, companies had to disclose details of their political donations in their annual statement of accounts. Statement-2 is incorrect as this provision has done away with the amendment.
• The government moved an amendment in the Finance Bill to ensure that this provision would not be applicable to companies in case of electoral bonds.
• Thus, Indian, foreign and even shell companies can now donate to political parties without having to inform anyone of the contribution.

4. SC questions Centre’s rigid position on control over industrial alcohol

Subject: Polity

Section: Federalism

Context:

• A nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court raised questions about the Central Government’s insistence on maintaining exclusive control over industrial alcohol, thereby not allowing States the authority to regulate its misuse, including its illegal conversion to consumable liquor.

Details:

• This situation raises significant public health concerns due to the potential for industrial alcohol being diverted for human consumption, leading to health tragedies.
• The bench is examining the conflict between the Union and States regarding the authority to tax, manufacture, and produce alcohol.
• The discussion also touched on the States’ authority over “intoxicating liquors” fit for human consumption, covered under Entry 8 of the State List, and the implications of a rigid classification that could limit state control over the illegal trade of industrial alcohol converted to consumable liquor.
• The contention revolves around the balance of power between the Union and the States in managing the production, distribution, and regulation of industrial alcohol vis-à-vis public health concerns.

Key facts:

• The subject, ‘Industrial alcohol’, is under Entry 52 of the Union List.
  • At present, only the Centre has the authority to tax, manufacture, and produce industrial alcohol.
  • The Centre has complete control over such industries. Centre argues that control over industrial alcohol is retained in the public interest, ensuring equitable resource distribution across the country.
• The subject, ‘Intoxicating liquors’ is under Entry 8 of the State List.

5. The ‘import restrictions’ on solar PV cells

Subject: Economy

Section: External Sector

Context:

• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) on March 29, ordered to re-implement its 2021 notification of an ‘Approved List of Models and Manufacturers of Solar Photovoltaic [PV] Modules’, also called the ALMM list.

What is the ALMM list? Why is it being re-implemented?

• The Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) includes manufacturers approved for involvement in government projects and initiatives, especially those related to renewable energy, like solar power.
• The ALMM was temporarily paused two years after its introduction due to concerns from renewable power producers.
  • These producers, having secured sale contracts with the government prior to the list’s establishment, relied heavily on imported solar modules and cells from China due to their affordability and the domestic sector’s inability to meet demand at competitive prices.
• This move aims at promoting import substitution to support the domestic industry, rather than restricting imports outright.

Does India rely on solar PV imports?

• India significantly depends on imports to fulfil its solar cell and module requirements, with China and Vietnam being the primary suppliers.
• Over the past five years, India imported solar cells and modules worth approximately $11.17 billion, constituting 0.4% of India’s total exports during this period. As of January 2023-24, China was responsible for 53% of India’s solar cell imports and 63% of its solar PV modules.
• The manufacturing capacity in China is dominant across the solar supply chain, while India’s capacity is limited and mainly focused on the final stage of manufacturing.
• Initiatives like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme aim to expand India’s manufacturing capabilities in the coming years.
• In response to this reliance on imports and global supply chain challenges, especially highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, India has implemented key policies to bolster domestic production. These include the introduction of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) in January 2019, the announcement of a ₹19,500 crore PLI scheme in the 2022-23 Union Budget to enhance domestic manufacturing across the solar supply chain, and the imposition of a 40% customs duty on PV modules and a 25% duty on PV cells.
• These duties were later reduced to address the slowdown in solar capacity additions and the financial pressures faced by projects relying on imported Chinese equipment, which were bid at competitively low tariffs.

Why is China a leading exporter?

• China is the leading exporter of solar PV components primarily due to its cost-competitive manufacturing environment. The lower cost of power, which is a significant part of production costs (over 40% for polysilicon and nearly 20% for ingots and wafers), plays a crucial role in this advantage.
• Additionally, the Chinese government’s strategic prioritization of the solar PV sector, combined with substantial domestic demand, has facilitated economies of scale and continuous innovation throughout the supply chain.

What is the scope for solar in India?

• India’s ambitious goal to achieve 500 GW of installed capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030 significantly drives the potential for solar power expansion. The country is experiencing the fastest growth rate in electricity demand among major economies up to 2026.
• This surge in demand is attributed to robust economic activity and the increasing consumption of products designed to counter extreme weather conditions. 
• Solar energy contributed to approximately one-third of all renewable energy production between April last year and February this year. With an estimated solar power potential of 748.99 GW, India has yet to fully exploit this resource.

Source: TH

6. Russia-Kazakhstan floods: Is climate change warming the Ural Mountains and western Siberia?

Subject: Geography

Section: Mapping

Context:

• The recent catastrophic flooding along the continental borders of Asia and Europe in the Ural mountains has sparked widespread concern and debate over whether it is a consequence of climate change.

details:

• Evidence indicates that both the Ural region, which spans from the Arctic Ocean to the Caspian Sea, and Kazakhstan are experiencing significant warming.
• Research, including a 2020 study from the Ural Federal Agrarian Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, confirms that global warming has notably impacted the climate of the Ural region, with recorded increases in air temperature across various cities and changes in precipitation patterns.
• The study found that the most pronounced warming occurred in winter, while spring saw the least warming. There was also an observed increase in annual precipitation in several locations.
• Furthermore, a study by Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth observation program, highlighted an acceleration in the rate of warming towards the end of the 20th century.
• Kazakhstan, a country with a history of environmental challenges, has seen a 1.37°C increase in air temperature over the last century, with predictions of a further 4°C rise by 2050, exacerbating desertification risks.
• The flooding in the Urals and western Siberia, described as the worst in 70 years, has led to the evacuation of over 100,000 people due to the overflowing of the Ural, Tobol, and Irtysh rivers.

Ural river:

• The Ural is a river flowing through Russia and Kazakhstan on the continental border between Europe and Asia. 
• It originates in the southern Ural Mountains and discharges into the Caspian Sea.
• At 2,428 kilometres (1,509 mi), it is the third-longest river in Europe after the Volga and the Danube, and the 18th-longest river in Asia.
• The Ural rises near Mount Kruglaya in the Ural Mountains, flows south parallel and west of the north-flowing Tobol, through Magnitogorsk, and around the southern end of the Urals, through Orsk where it turns west for about 300 kilometres (190 mi), to Orenburg, where the river Sakmara joins.
• From Orenburg it continues west, passing into Kazakhstan, then turning south again at Oral, and meandering through a broad flat plain until it reaches the Caspian a few miles below Atyrau, where it forms a fine ‘digitate’ (tree-like) delta.

Tobol river:

• The Tobol is a river in Western Siberia (in Kazakhstan and Russia) and the main (left) tributary of the Irtysh.
• Its length is 1,591 km (989 mi), and the area of its drainage basin is 426,000 km2 (164,000 sq mi).

Irtysh river:

• The Irtysh is a river in Russia, China, and Kazakhstan. It is the chief tributary of the Ob and is also the longest tributary river in the world.
• The river’s source lies in the Mongolian Altai in Dzungaria (the northern part of Xinjiang, China) close to the border with Mongolia.
• The Irtysh’s main tributaries include the Tobol, Demyanka and the Ishim.
• The Ob-Irtysh system forms a major drainage basin in Asia, encompassing most of Western Siberia and the Altai Mountains.

About Ural mountains:

• The Ural Mountains are a mountain range in Eurasia that runs north-south mostly through Russia, from the coast of the Arctic Ocean to the river Ural and northwestern Kazakhstan.
• The mountain range forms part of the conventional boundary between the continents of Europe and Asia.
• Vaygach Island and the islands of Novaya Zemlya form a further continuation of the chain to the north into the Arctic Ocean.
• The average altitudes of the Urals are around 1,000–1,300 metres (3,300–4,300 ft), the highest point being Mount Narodnaya.
• The mountains lie within the Ural geographical region and significantly overlap with the Ural Federal District and the Ural economic region.
• Their resources include metal ores, coal, and precious and semi-precious stones.
• Since the 18th century, the mountains have contributed significantly to the mineral sector of the Russian economy. The region is one of the largest centres of metallurgy and heavy industry production in Russia.
  • Eastern regions are rich in chalcopyrite, nickel oxide, gold, platinum, chromite and magnetite ores, as well as in coal (Chelyabinsk Oblast), bauxite, talc, fireclay and abrasives.
  • The Western Urals contain deposits of coal, oil, natural gas (Ishimbay and Krasnokamsk areas) and potassium salts.
  • Both slopes are rich in bituminous coal and lignite, and the largest deposit of bituminous coal is in the north (Pechora field).

• The Urals are among the world’s oldest extant mountain ranges.

Source: DTE

7. Swiss women win landmark climate victory at human rights court

Subject: Environment

Section: Int Conventions

Context:

• The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled in favour of a group of Swiss women, affirming that Switzerland’s insufficient actions to mitigate climate change infringe on their human rights, particularly the right to a private and family life.

Details:

• This landmark decision, influenced by the case brought forward by over 2,000 women citing the increased risk of death from heatwaves, sets a precedent in Europe for future climate litigation based on human rights.
• The court found that Switzerland failed to adequately outline national greenhouse gas emissions limitations and to achieve its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
• This ruling hailed as a significant milestone by the global civic movement Avaaz, establishes a legally binding precedent that could guide future legal actions against governments for failing to address climate change adequately.
• Despite the ECtHR dismissing two similar cases, the Swiss verdict represents a victory not just for the plaintiffs but also for broader efforts to hold governments accountable for their climate policies.
• This decision, which cannot be appealed, may compel the Swiss government to intensify its emission reduction efforts and align its 2030 targets with the Paris Agreement’s objective to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
• The ruling is part of a larger trend of using human rights law as the foundation for climate litigation against governments.

European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR):

• ECtHR, also known as the Strasbourg Court, is an international court of the Council of Europe which interprets the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
• The court hears applications alleging that a contracting state has breached one or more of the human rights enumerated in the convention or its optional protocols to which a member state is a party.
• The court is based in Strasbourg, France.
• ​​The court was established on 21 January 1959 on the basis of Article 19 of the European Convention on Human Rights when its first members were elected by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. 
• The court decided its first case in 1960 in Lawless v. Ireland.
• An application can be lodged by an individual, a group of individuals, or one or more of the other contracting states.
• Aside from judgments, the court can also issue advisory opinions. The convention was adopted within the context of the Council of Europe, and all of its 46 member states are contracting parties to the convention.
• The court’s primary means of judicial interpretation is the living instrument doctrine, meaning that the Convention is interpreted in light of present-day conditions.
• International law scholars consider the ECtHR to be the most effective international human rights court in the world.
• Nevertheless, the court has faced challenges with verdicts not implemented by the contracting parties.

Source: TH

8. Strategic military infra upgrade in the works for Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Subject: Geography

Section: Mapping

Context:

• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are undergoing significant military infrastructure enhancements, which include revamped airfields, jetties, additional logistics, storage facilities, habitats for troops, and a sophisticated surveillance infrastructure.

Details:

• These upgrades aim to support the deployment of more military forces, including warships, aircraft, missile batteries, and troops, amid growing Chinese activities in the region, notably the construction of a military facility in Myanmar’s Coco Islands, 55 km north of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Advancement of Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a military base:

• The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), established in 2001 as the first and only tri-service command in the islands, is spearheading these upgrades.
• Plans include improving surveillance infrastructure on one of the northern islands, extending an airstrip at a crucial naval air station to accommodate larger aircraft and fighter jets, and expanding a jetty for bigger ships.
• Infrastructure enhancements also involve upgrading an IAF station to host fighter squadrons, extending a runway, and building facilities for asset maintenance.
• Additionally, efforts are being made to construct a container transhipment terminal and associated infrastructure to support operations.
• Recent inaugurations by military officials include a modern hangar and dispersal system, a Precision Approach Radar (PAR) for safe aircraft landings in low visibility, and an Integrated Underwater Harbour Defence and Surveillance System. Communication and operational capabilities have also been boosted with the inauguration of Naval Communication Network (NCN) Centres at INS Kohassa, INS Baaz and INS Kardi.
• Enhanced responsibilities of the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC):
  • The Centre has requested the NRSC to expand its manpower for analyzing satellite imagery and enhancing surveillance of inhabited islands in the Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep.
  • The NRSC’s responsibilities encompass satellite data acquisition and processing, aerial remote sensing, and disaster management support.
• A recent Multi-Agency Maritime Security Group (MAMSG)-Policy meeting discussed surveillance strategies for uninhabited islands, underscoring the comprehensive approach to bolstering security and surveillance in these strategic regions.

The strategic importance of the island chain:

• There are 836 Islands in A&N, of which only 38 are inhabited.
• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are of great strategic importance since they straddle one of the busiest sea lanes in the world and give India the reach to monitor the flow of traffic from the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean) to the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) via the Strait of Malacca that’s key to trade and oil shipments in the Indo-Pacific.

Source: IE

9. Why Botswana threatened to send 20000 elephants to Germany

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

• Botswana, which harbors the world’s largest elephant population of approximately 130,000, faces a significant challenge due to its overabundant elephant numbers. President Mokgweetsi Masisi has proposed relocating 20,000 elephants to Germany amidst discussions in the country to tighten regulations on importing trophies from hunted animals.

Details:

• Historically, hunting has served as a means to manage the elephant population in Botswana, also generating income through the sale of trophy-hunting licenses, predominantly to affluent Western individuals.
• Notably, Germany is recognized as the leading European importer of African elephant trophies.

Why are there so many elephants in Botswana?

• Botswana has become a sanctuary for elephants, distinguishing itself from neighbouring countries through its stable government and sparse human population.
• This safe environment, coupled with the elephants’ avoidance of crossing the Chobe River (a tributary of Zambezi River) into areas like Namibia and Angola due to conflict and mass poaching, has contributed to their large numbers within Botswana’s borders.
• Additionally, Botswana’s stringent conservation measures, including a shoot-to-kill policy against suspected poachers initiated in 2013, and a temporary ban on licensed trophy hunting between 2014 and 2019, have played significant roles in protecting its elephant population.

And why was hunting allowed again?

• The reintroduction of hunting in Botswana was a response to the significant growth of the elephant population, which has become a source of human-animal conflict. From a population of fewer than 10,000 elephants in the early 1960s, numbers had surged to 80,000 by the mid-1990s, and elephants now occupy about 40% of Botswana’s territory.
• This expansion has led to elephants damaging homes, consuming and destroying crops, drinking from community water supplies, and causing deaths among people and cattle. Residents in affected areas, such as Gobojango town, express fear and inconvenience due to the elephants’ presence, adjusting their daily routines for safety.
• Additionally, the large elephant population poses a threat to other species by leading to biodiversity loss and habitat degradation.
• Elephants’ feeding habits, which include tearing down trees and consuming significant amounts of water, negatively impact the habitat and survival of other wildlife.
• This combination of factors prompted Botswana to lift its ban on licensed trophy hunting in 2019, aiming to manage the elephant population more effectively and reduce the negative impacts on human communities and other wildlife species.

How does elephant hunting help?

• Botswana’s efforts to control its elephant population through donations to other countries proved insufficient, prompting the lifting of a trophy hunting ban. This approach serves a dual purpose: reducing elephant numbers and boosting the economy through substantial hunting fees, with hunters paying up to $50,000 per elephant.
• In 2021, trophy hunting reportedly contributed $5 million to Botswana’s local communities, and in South Africa, it’s estimated to inject $250 million into the economy annually, supporting 17,000 jobs.
• Pros:
  • Proponents argue that regulated trophy hunting benefits elephant conservation by reinvesting in conservation efforts and sharing profits with local communities, potentially preventing habitat loss.
• Cons:
  • This practice faces criticism from Western nations and animal rights advocates, who argue it’s unethical and harms population numbers of endangered species by targeting the strongest animals.
  • Moreover, there are concerns about the economic benefits being overstated and corruption hindering the distribution of profits to local communities.
• Despite the controversies, some experts believe that banning trophy hunting without viable economic alternatives could exacerbate conservation issues.

Source: IE

10. As abundant chital cost authorities dearly, a tiny Andaman island struggles to keep up

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Chital- an invasive species in A&N islands:

• Chital were introduced to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for game hunting in the early 1900s by the British.
• The Chital multiplied in an unchecked environment and in the absence of large predators had now become a problem for authorities.
• The chital is predominantly found in the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island, which lies east of Port Blair.
• To deal with the invasive species, the department has been seeking solutions, to either rehabilitate the chital or relocate them elsewhere.
• Legal provisions for translocation of an animal:
  • Under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, an officer of the rank of Chief Wildlife Warden can permit translocation for the purpose of scientific management.
  • The law mandates that such translocation should cause minimum trauma to animals.

About Chital:

• Scientific Name – Cervus axis; Axis axis
• Chital is an herbivorous, Asiatic deer, belonging to the family Cervidae.
• It lives in grasslands and forests in India and Sri Lanka in herds.
• Its spotted coat is reddish brown above and white below.
• The male chital is larger and heavier than the female chital.
• The male chital alone carries three-tined antlers.
• State Animal – It is the state animal of Telangana.
• Conservation Status –
  • IUCN – Least Concern
  • CITES – Not Listed