Bactrian Camels | Congestion Index

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Syllabus: GS3/Environemet

Context

Two majestic Bactrian camels named ‘Galwan’ and ‘Nubra’, were showcased at the Republic Day Parade on Kartavya Path.
‘Galwan’ and ‘Nubra’ are named after places in the cold desert of Ladakh, the only place in India where this species is found.

Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus)

The name “Bactrian” comes from a region (former kingdom conquered by Alexander the Great) located between Afghanistan, Iran, and Kazakhstan.
It is a double-humped camel, also called the Asian or Mongolian camel and is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
It is mainly found in Northern Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, India, with the largest domestic population in China.
Bactrian camels are considered omnivorous; however, they are primarily herbivorous, feeding on a wide selection of vegetation, even those that other animals might refuse, such as thorny, tough, or dry plants.
Bactrian camels, known as the ‘Ships of the Silk Road’, were crucial for crossing the harsh trade routes of Central Asia.

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

According to the latest 2025 TomTom Traffic Index, ranked India as the fifth most traffic-congested country globally and second in Asia.

Congestion Index

The index evaluates cities worldwide based on average travel time, congestion levels and vehicle speeds.
The index is widely used to track changes in urban mobility and compare congestion trends across regions and countries.
Bengaluru emerged as India’s most traffic-congested city, recording an average congestion level of 74.4%
Bengaluru and Kolkata were both listed among the world’s five slowest cities.
Of the top 10 cities with the highest congestion in Asia, six were from India: Bengaluru (1), Pune (2), Mumbai (6), New Delhi (7), Kolkata (9), and Jaipur (10).

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