From the ecological point of view, which one of the following assumes importance in being a good link between the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats?

The correct answer is A) Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve. It sits at the junction of the two ranges in the Erode region of Tamil Nadu, where the Western Ghats (Nilgiri hills and Moyar valley) meet the Eastern Ghats (Javadi and Shevaroy hills). That position makes it an ecological corridor linking the two systems, which matters for tiger and elephant movement and gene flow.

• B) Nallamala Forest is a major block of the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is not a link to the Western Ghats.
• C) Nagarhole National Park lies within the Western Ghats in Karnataka, on the Kodagu and Wayanad side. It does not bridge to the Eastern Ghats.
• D) Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve covers the Seshachalam hills near Tirupati, which are part of the Eastern Ghats. It is not a bridge to the Western Ghats.

The core concept is landscape connectivity: protected areas that act as corridors keep isolated populations from becoming genetically cut off. For Mains, this links to human-wildlife conflict, corridor protection and the policy case for tiger reserves as connected landscapes. Sathyamangalam was notified as a tiger reserve in 2013, so the question's framing still holds.

Trap: aspirants pick Nagarhole or Nallamala because they are the best-known names. Check where the reserve sits relative to both ranges, not just which range it is famous for.