Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
A new plant species named Begonia quadricornualata was recently discovered in Papum Pare district, Arunachal Pradesh. The species was found during a botanical survey at Senki View, on the eastern fringe of the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary. The discovery site lies at the intersection of the Himalaya and Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots, making it an ecologically significant region.

Notes:
Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve is located in Bundi district, Rajasthan. It was notified as India’s 52nd Tiger Reserve in May 2022. The reserve serves as an important wildlife corridor between Ranthambore Tiger Reserve and Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve. It is home to species such as the tiger, leopard, Indian wolf, and striped hyena. It is one of Rajasthan’s five tiger reserves, along with Sariska, Ranthambore, Mukundara Hills, and Dholpur-Karauli. As of July 2026, Rajasthan’s tiger population increased to 149, up from 135 in 2025.

Notes:
In a major conservation milestone, the Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) was photographed for the first time in the Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary. The Snow Leopard, known as the “Ghost of the Mountains,” is an endangered species. Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh. It is home to wildlife such as Himalayan black bear, leopard, musk deer, and rare pheasants. The discovery highlights the sanctuary’s rich Himalayan biodiversity.

Notes:
Glaw Lake in Arunachal Pradesh has been designated as India’s 101st Ramsar Site. It is the first Ramsar Site in Arunachal Pradesh. Glaw Lake is located within the Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary in the Eastern Himalayas. It is a pristine freshwater lake fed by perennial mountain streams. The wetland is a biodiversity hotspot with over 150 tree species and 49 orchid species. India’s Ramsar Sites have increased from 26 in 2014 to 101 in 2026.

Notes:
Scientists discovered a new catfish species named Pseudecheneis likimroensis in Nagaland. The species is named after the Likimro River in Kiphire district, where it was first found. The discovery was published in the Journal of Ichthyology. The fish has special adaptations to survive in fast-flowing mountain streams. Nagaland is a freshwater biodiversity hotspot in the Eastern Himalaya and Indo-Myanmar region.

Notes:
Ladakh has approved India’s first-ever guided high-altitude wildlife safari. The safari will cover Hemis National Park, Changthang, and Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary. It will focus on snow leopard sightings and bird-watching trails during the winter season. The safari will be operated by trained local youth to promote sustainable ecotourism. The initiative aims to conserve and showcase Ladakh’s rich high-altitude biodiversity, including around 340 bird species.

Notes:
In August 2026, the Supreme Court, in a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, imposed interim spatial restrictions along Rajasthan’s Jojari River to address industrial pollution, construction and floodplain encroachment until scientific demarcation is completed. The Jojari River is a right-bank tributary of the Luni River in western Rajasthan. Unlike several other Luni tributaries that originate in the Aravalli Hills, the Jojari originates in the plains near Pondlu village in Nagaur district and flows through Jodhpur before joining the Luni.

Notes:
Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam recorded the first-ever sighting of the rare migratory Smew (Mergellus albellus). Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary covers about 70.13 sq km and is located on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra River in Nagaon district, Assam. It forms part of the Laokhowa–Burhachapori ecosystem and is a notified buffer of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. The sanctuary supports more than 225 bird species and diverse wildlife, including the greater one-horned rhinoceros, elephant, Royal Bengal tiger and Asiatic water buffalo.

Notes:
A crocodile attack in the Vishwamitri River near Talsat village, Vadodara, Gujarat, resulted in the death of a man. Vishwamitri River is a small, non-perennial river originating from the western and southern slopes of the Pavagadh Hills in eastern Gujarat. The river flows westward through Vadodara, joins tributaries Dhadar and Jambuva, and drains into the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Khambhat. It hosts the protected mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris).

Notes:
A monsoon bird survey at Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, recorded 124 bird species. The survey was conducted by the Thiruvananthapuram Wildlife Division and Warblers and Waders. Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, in the Western Ghats. It was established in 1983 and covers an area of about 53 sq km. The sanctuary lies around the catchment area of the Karamana River and Peppara Dam. It forms part of the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve and supports diverse forest ecosystems.