Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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A rare Spoon-tailed Duskhawker dragonfly (Gynacantha basiguttata) has been spotted for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh. The dragonfly was photographed in October 2024 along the Miao–Vijaynagar Road in the Namdapha landscape. It was initially misidentified, but later taxonomic verification confirmed it as Gynacantha basiguttata. The record adds a new species entry to Arunachal Pradesh’s biodiversity records and India’s Odonata checklist. Odonata is the insect order comprising dragonflies and damselflies. The discovery highlights the rich and still under-documented biodiversity of Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve in Changlang district.

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A flock of more than 30 Fulvous Whistling Ducks (Dendrocygna bicolor) was spotted at Venjali wetlands in Malappuram district, Kerala, marking the first reported sighting in Malappuram. The species is commonly found in the wetlands of Assam and other northeastern States and was earlier reported in Kerala from Kollam. The birds usually reach Kerala around the beginning of the monsoon and return by October. They inhabit freshwater wetlands, marshes, ponds and shallow water bodies and generally occur in flocks. The Fulvous Whistling Duck is listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.

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Boma and Badingilo National Parks and surrounding areas in South Sudan have been declared the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region is famous for the Great Nile Migration, in which nearly six million antelopes migrate across the vast landscape. It includes grasslands, wetlands, swamps, woodlands and savannas, making it an important biodiversity-rich ecosystem. The area also provides habitat for birds such as shoebills, African openbills and Abdim’s storks.

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Bakhira Lake in Sant Kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, provides a 25,000-year record of Indian Summer Monsoon variability. The study was conducted by researchers from Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP) under the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Researchers used environmental magnetic properties of lake sediments to reconstruct past monsoon activity. Bakhira Lake is part of the Ghaghara–Rapti alluvial system and is a perennial oxbow/floodplain wetland. It was designated a Ramsar Site in 2022. The study covers the Last Glacial Maximum, Bølling–Allerød, Younger Dryas and Holocene Climatic Optimum.

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Researchers from Ravenshaw University and Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Netherlands have identified a new species of tiny bivalve from Odisha. The new species has been named Deltachion ravenshaw (D. ravenshaw). The species was named after Ravenshaw University in recognition of its role in the research. It belongs to the Donacidae family of bivalves, generally found in shallow, sandy marine habitats. The species was discovered during a macrobenthic survey at Astaranga, near the mouth of the Devi River in Puri. It was found in the sandy intertidal stretches of the Devi estuary.

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the ‘Bharat Vann’ green initiative at Lodhi Colony Park, New Delhi. The initiative aims to promote urban ecological restoration and increase green cover in Delhi. It was launched in collaboration with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). A dense green forest area will be developed using indigenous plants suited to the local environment. The one-acre site is planned to have more than 10,000 plants. The area will also provide facilities for walking, meditation and yoga.

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Scientists have discovered a rare leafless orchid species, Gastrodia keyiensis, in Keyi Panyor district of Arunachal Pradesh. The species was discovered in a remote gorge along the Keyi River at an altitude of around 1,000 metres. Only five flowering individuals were recorded at the type locality during the survey. Gastrodia keyiensis belongs to the genus Gastrodia, known for orchids that lack leaves and chlorophyll. It grows in deep shade and decaying leaf litter, particularly in bamboo groves along the Keyi River. The orchid can grow up to 35 cm and produces one to three flowers. In the Nyishi language, it is locally called “Oram Opuh”, meaning “Ghost Flower”.

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Maharashtra has shifted a young tigress from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) to Painganga Wildlife Sanctuary in Yavatmal district. The tigress, identified as T163-SAF2, is the third tiger added to the population being established in Painganga. The sanctuary is located in the Painganga River landscape, Maharashtra, which forms an important ecological zone in the region. It contains dry deciduous forests, providing suitable habitat for wildlife including tigers and other carnivores. The sanctuary is part of

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The Afro-Asian Sand Snake, also known as the Schokari Sand Racer, was recently spotted in Kachchh (Kutch), Gujarat, after more than 150 years. The sighting is significant because the species had not been conclusively recorded in Kutch since the 19th century. The Afro-Asian Sand Snake is adapted to dry and arid habitats and is mainly found in parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat in India. It is a slender and fast-moving snake and is mildly venomous, generally posing little danger to humans. The discovery highlights the rich biodiversity of Kutch’s desert and scrubland ecosystems.

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The Khadiyun Cheer Pheasant Breeding Centre is located in Chail, Solan district, Himachal Pradesh, and works on the captive breeding and reintroduction of cheer pheasants. The recorded survival rate of reintroduced cheer pheasants improved from 11.11% in 2019–20 to 100% in 2024–25. The cheer pheasant, locally known as Chir Tittar, is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The species is found in parts of the northwestern and central Himalayas and primarily inhabits grasslands with short trees and shrubs. The breeding centre has released 77 captive-bred cheer pheasants into the wild so far.