Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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The Global Environment Facility approved US$1.26 million for a conservation project led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The project will be implemented in Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve. It is one of the largest protected Sudanian savanna ecosystems in West Africa, covering nearly 913,000 hectares. The park is located in southeastern Senegal, near the Guinea border.

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The Sangon clan in Arunachal Pradesh has launched an initiative to conserve the Transcaspian marinka (Schizothorax pelzami). It is a ray-finned fish belonging to the Cyprinidae family. It is locally known as Ngarsing in the Nyishi language. The species is mainly distributed in Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. It inhabits freshwater rivers, streams, springs, and qanats.

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An expert committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has recommended against the proposed 2,000 MW Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project due to its likely impact on the Sharavathi Lion-Tailed Macaque Sanctuary. The Sharavathi Lion-Tailed Macaque Sanctuary is located in Karnataka’s Shivamogga district in the Western Ghats. It was formed by merging the Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Aghanashini Lion-Tailed Macaque Conservation Reserve, and adjoining reserve forests.

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The Indian Grey Hornbill has returned to the Gir forests of Gujarat after an absence of more than 60 years, marking a significant conservation achievement. Scientifically known as Ocyceros birostris, it is a tropical bird native to the Indian subcontinent. It inhabits deciduous forests, open woodlands, thorn forests, and urban gardens. The bird is arboreal, spending most of its time on trees, and feeds mainly on fruits, especially figs. It plays a vital ecological role as a seed disperser, aiding forest regeneration. The IUCN Red List status of the Indian Grey Hornbill is Least Concern.

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A team of odonatologists has discovered a new species of spreadwing damselfly, Lestes paloti, from the Western Ghats in Kerala. It is the first new species of the genus Lestes described from India since Lestes garoensis (1987). It inhabits scrub vegetation around homesteads and laterite hillocks, often away from open water bodies. It changes colour from brown in the dry season to bluish during the monsoon. Damselflies are predatory aerial insects belonging to the order Odonata. They are mainly found near shallow freshwater habitats and are smaller and more delicate than dragonflies.

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Scientists in Australia are deep-freezing koala eggs and sperm to create a genetic backup for future conservation. The initiative aims to protect wild koala populations from possible extinction. The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is a marsupial, not a bear, and is endemic to Australia. It is found mainly in eastern Australia, from Queensland to Victoria. Koalas are arboreal and depend primarily on eucalyptus trees for food and shelter. The IUCN Red List classifies the koala as Vulnerable.

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Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in Jorhat district, Assam, has been highlighted as one of the richest butterfly habitats in the state. It is best known for conserving the endangered Western Hoolock Gibbon, the only ape species found in India. The Bhogdoi River flows along the sanctuary, creating waterlogged areas with semi-hydrophytic vegetation. The sanctuary is dominated by evergreen forests with multiple canopy layers, supporting rich biodiversity.

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Maharashtra announced India’s first proposed AI-enabled bird conservation project at the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary, a Ramsar Site. The project uses AI-based surveillance, smart cameras, drones, acoustic sensors, and real-time biodiversity monitoring. AI helps identify bird species and monitor their movement. It also collects real-time ecological data for scientific research.

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Recently, the Bhogdoi River overflowed due to heavy monsoon rains, causing floods in Jorhat district, Assam. The Bhogdoi River is a key south-bank tributary of the Brahmaputra River. It originates in the Naga Hills, flows directly through the Jorhat district of Assam, and joins the Dhansiri River before discharging into the Brahmaputra. Jorhat, one of the districts heavily affected by seasonal floods, lies on the banks of this river.

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A new Himalayan flowering plant has been formally named Impatiens nimspurjai in honour of legendary Nepali mountaineer Nirmal “Nimsdai” Purja. The plant was discovered in Myagdi district of Nepal at an altitude of around 2,800–2,900 metres. It belongs to the genus Impatiens and the family Balsaminaceae. The naming recognises Purja’s contribution to mountaineering and high-altitude environmental conservation, including the Big Mountain Cleanup initiative. Purja famously climbed all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres in six months and six days in 2019.