Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has achieved captive breeding of the mangrove clam Geloina erosa. Mangrove clams, also called mud clams or ‘Kandal Kakka’ in northern Kerala, belong to the genus Polymesoda or Geloina. They live in muddy, brackish, and near-freshwater areas of mangrove swamps across the Indo-Pacific region. As a filter feeder, it recycles nutrients, stabilises sediments, supports mangrove health, and provides coastal livelihoods.

Notes:
Researchers discovered a new species of squat lobster named Leiogalathea samudragiri near Minicoy in the Lakshadweep archipelago. It was found at a depth of 360 metres below the sea surface. The discovery happened during a research cruise under India’s Deep Ocean Mission, also called the Samudrayaan program. It has smooth and continuous ridges on the top of its shell, unlike related species with broken ridges. Squat lobsters are marine crustaceans, related to hermit and porcelain crabs.

Notes:
Chhattisgarh Forest Department started six hornbill restaurants in Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve to support the Malabar Pied Hornbill and promote natural forest growth. Malabar Pied Hornbill, scientifically called Anthracoceros coronatus, belongs to the hornbill family. It is a medium-sized bird with black and white feathers and a large casque on its beak. It lives in evergreen and moist deciduous forests, often near human settlements. It is found in Western Ghats, north-eastern Himalayan foothills, Satpuda Hills, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It is listed as Near Threatened by International Union for Conservation of Nature due to habitat loss.

Notes:
Researchers discovered a new tiny crab species named Galathea balasubramaniani from coral reefs of Agatti in Lakshadweep Islands. It belongs to genus Galathea, a group of small reef-dwelling anomuran crabs called squat lobsters. These crabs look like tiny lobsters and hide in coral and rocky crevices. It measures only about 3 millimetres, making it one of the smallest reef crabs in the region. It plays a key ecological role by recycling organic matter and serving as food for fish and other marine life.

Notes:
The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently directed the Field Director of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to submit a detailed report regarding recent tiger fatalities in the reserve and nearby areas. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve is located in Madhya Pradesh and is spread across the Vindhya Hills. The topography of the reserve includes steep ridges, undulating forest landscapes, and open grassland meadows. The reserve is known for its historical and archaeological significance, featuring caves with Pali inscriptions and carvings depicting animals.

Notes:
Gentoo penguins became first bird species confirmed with H5 avian influenza in an Australian territory. It is closely related to Adélie penguin and Chinstrap penguin. It is found along Antarctic Peninsula, sub-Antarctic islands and Falkland Islands in Southern Hemisphere between 45° and 65° south latitude. It lives near shorelines for easy food access and nesting. It is fastest underwater swimmer among penguins. It is diurnal, social and breeds in colonies. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) status is Least Concern.

Notes:
The first scientific assessment of the Fishing cat has identified Kaziranga National Park and Kaziranga Tiger Reserve as strongholds of this small wild feline species. The fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is a medium-sized wild cat known for its strong association with wetlands. It inhabits a variety of wetland ecosystems, including mangrove forests, swamps, marshes, and floodplains. It is native to South and Southeast Asia and has a fragmented distribution across the region. In India, it is primarily found in the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans, along the foothills of the Himalayas in the Ganga and Brahmaputra river valleys, and in parts of the Western Ghats.

Notes:
Recently, the Forest Owlet was spotted in Kuno National Park after 113 years. It belongs to the owl family Strigidae. It is endemic to central India and found in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat, including Melghat Tiger Reserve. It lives in tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests, dense and open dry deciduous teak forests. It has an unspotted crown, full throat collar, thickly feathered legs, and heavily banded wings and tail. It is diurnal and hunts during the day.

Notes:
A new groundwater fish species, Gitchak nakana, has been discovered in Assam. It belongs to a newly described genus under the family Cobitidae (loaches). The name comes from the Garo language: “Gitchak” means red, referring to its blood-red colour, and “na-tok” and “kana” mean blind fish. It shows subterranean adaptations like absence of visible eyes, translucent pigmentless body, and extreme miniaturisation. It completely lacks a skull roof, with the brain covered only by skin. It lives in groundwater aquifers, which are difficult to access.

Notes:
Over the past 200 years, the Kosi River has shifted its course westward by over 100 km. Kosi is a transboundary river flowing through China, Nepal, and India, and is a major tributary of the Ganges. It is called the “Sorrow of Bihar” due to frequent and severe flooding in Bihar. Formed by the confluence of Sun Kosi, Arun Kosi, and Tamur Kosi, originating in the Himalayan region of Nepal and Tibet. About 48 km north of the India-Nepal border, it gathers tributaries and flows south through the Siwalik Hills at Chatra Gorge.