Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, conflict between humans and Himalayan brown bears has been rising across the Himalayas. The Himalayan brown bear is also called Himalayan red bear, isabelline bear, or Dzu-Teh and is a subspecies of the brown bear. It is mainly found in northwestern and central Himalayas in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. In India, it is found in small, isolated populations in alpine and subalpine habitats of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) conservation status is Critically Endangered.

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Researchers have discovered a new freshwater fish species named Garra nambashiensis in Manipur. The discovery was made in Taretlok, a tributary of the Chindwin River, near Nambashi Valley in Kamjong district. The fish belongs to the Labeonine family and is locally called Nutungnu. The Northeast region has 60 Garra species, of which 32 are proboscis species group, including eight from the Chindwin River system.

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District Magistrate Baramulla recently ordered the immediate closure of 14 gypsum mining units operating within 1 km of Lachipora Wildlife Sanctuary. Lachipora Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Baramulla district, Jammu and Kashmir, near the village of Lachipora on the northern banks of the Jhelum River. It primarily protects the endangered Markhor, a wild goat with twisted horns. It is designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) and hosts the vulnerable Western Tragopan.

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Himachal Pradesh recorded 83 snow leopards in 2025, up from 51 in 2021. The survey was conducted by the Wildlife Wing of the State Forest Department with the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF). It covered 26,000 sq km in Spiti Valley, Kinnaur, Pangi, Lahaul, and Great Himalayan National Park. Himachal Pradesh became the first state in India to complete a snow leopard population estimation. For the first time globally, indigenous women from Kibber joined in data analysis. The exercise set a cost-effective and scalable model for long-term monitoring. It is listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

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Recently, a 12-year-old male tiger was brutally hunted, dismembered, and buried in Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, four months after a previous poisoning incident. The sanctuary is located at the intersection of the Western and Eastern Ghats in Chamarajanagara District, Karnataka. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 2013. It is contiguous with Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. It is home to the famous Male Mahadeshwara Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva (Mahadeshwara). The sanctuary is bounded by the Kaveri River to the northeast and Palar River to the south.

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Recently, the rare fungus Hygrocybe pellucida was seen for the first time in Telangana’s Kawal Tiger Reserve. It belongs to the Hygrophoraceae family and is known for its bright, waxy, and colourful fruiting bodies. These fungi are usually found in grasslands, mossy forest floors, and nutrient-poor habitats. They are commonly called wax cups because of their shiny texture. Hygrocybe pellucida was first identified as a new species in Kerala in 2024. The Hygrocybe genus has around 350 species distributed worldwide. Its discovery marks an important biodiversity record for Telangana.

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Researchers recently discovered a new plant species named Tetrataenium manilalianum, adding to the biodiversity of the Western Ghats. It belongs to the carrot family (Umbelliferae/Apiaceae). The species was found in Eravikulam National Park, located in Idukki district of Kerala. It was named in honour of Prof. K.S. Manilal, founder president of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy. The plant grows in grasslands bordering shola forests at high altitudes. It is the first of its kind identified globally and the 48th species in the carrot family. It bears white flowers, has underground rhizomes, and blooms during the monsoon.

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A rare Malabar Gliding Frog was recently spotted at Hirebagewadi near Belagavi, Karnataka. Its scientific name is Rhacophorus malabaricus. It is endemic to the rainforests of the Western Ghats in India. The frog lives on tree leaves near streams or riverbanks and breeds on overhanging trees above water bodies. It can glide through the air using the webbing between its toes, leaping up to 9–12 metres, nearly 115 times its body length. It grows up to 10 cm, with males smaller than females. It has a bright green back, pale yellow belly, and orange-red webbed toes. It is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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A photographer in Spain recently spotted the world’s first-ever white Iberian lynx, a rare sighting. The Iberian lynx is a carnivorous species endemic to Europe. It is one of the world’s most endangered wild cats, recognized by its pointy ears, long legs, and spotted fur. It is nocturnal, mainly hunting rabbits, its primary prey. It is found only in southwest Spain on the Iberian Peninsula, west of the Pyrenees.

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The Forest Department is set to begin the next tiger census in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR). Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) is located in the Nallamala hill ranges, an offshoot of the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh. It is one of India’s largest tiger reserves, covering 3,728 square kilometres. It supports the largest tiger population in the Eastern Ghats landscape. The reserve is named after the Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam Dams. It includes Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary (GBM).