📌 The Question:
Consider the following statements:

1. Lions do not have a particular breeding season.
2. Unlike most other big cats, cheetahs do not roar.
3. Unlike male lions, male leopards do not proclaim their territory by scent marking.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

✅ Correct Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

🔍 Classroom Explanation (Statement-wise):

• Statement 1: Correct ✅
  Lions do not have a fixed breeding season.
  Breeding can occur throughout the year and is often synchronized after a pride takeover, helping cub survival through communal care.
• Statement 2: Correct ✅
  Cheetahs cannot roar.
  Their larynx has a fixed hyoid bone structure, similar to “small cats”, allowing them to purr continuously but preventing roaring.
  Instead, cheetahs chirp, purr, growl, and emit explosive yelps.
• Statement 3: Incorrect ❌
  Male leopards DO scent-mark territories using:
  • Urine spraying
  • Faeces
  • Scrape marks
  • Cheek rubbing on trees

✔️ Hence, only Statements 1 and 2 are correct.

🧠 Curiosity Raiser:
Why can lions roar but cheetahs cannot?
👉 It’s not size — it’s the hyoid bone anatomy of the voice box.

📚 Enrich Notes (Prelims Edge):

• Roaring cats: Lion, Tiger, Leopard, Jaguar
• Non-roaring cats: Cheetah, Puma, Lynx
• Territory marking is common in most big cats, including leopards

🕊️ IAS Monk Whisper:
“In nature, silence can be as powerful as a roar — survival chooses structure, not strength.”