Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Recently, a Knob-Billed Duck was recorded for the first time at Pong Lake Wildlife Sanctuary. The Knob-Billed Duck, also known as the African Comb Duck, is named after the prominent leaf-shaped comb on the male’s bill. It is found in tropical wetlands of Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and the Indian subcontinent extending to Laos and southern China. It breeds in freshwater swamps and lakes in tropical regions. It is one of the largest duck species, measuring 56–76 cm in length with a wingspan of 116–145 cm. The IUCN Red List status of the Knob-Billed Duck is Least Concern.

Notes:
Researchers recently discovered two new cave-dwelling micro-snail species, Georissa meghalayaensis and Acmella bensoni, in Meghalaya. The discovery was made in the limestone caves of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot. Georissa meghalayaensis was found near the entrance of Krem Puri Cave and is characterized by its orangish-red shell and mesh-like ridges. Acmella bensoni was discovered in Krem Puri and Arwah Cave. It has a small, whitish, translucent shell with fine rib patterns. The species was named after William H. Benson, a renowned 19th-century malacologist.

Notes:
The Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench has recently referred a PIL to the Forest Bench seeking a scientific census to assess the ecological viability of the Berijam Lake area for possible notification as a Tiger Reserve. It is an artificial lake located in Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu. The lake is situated in the upper Palani Hills. It serves as an important source of drinking water for nearby towns. Berijam Lake is a significant conservation area supporting rich biodiversity.

Notes:
Recently, a rescued Chinese pangolin and an Asian palm civet were released into Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary in Meghalaya. Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Meghalaya within the Eastern Himalayan Global Biodiversity Hotspot. It was established in 1981 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The Umtrew River forms the western boundary of the sanctuary. The sanctuary is dominated by tropical moist deciduous and tropical semi-evergreen forests.

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The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has given in-principle approval to Odisha’s proposal to resume tiger reintroduction in Satkosia Tiger Reserve. Satkosia Tiger Reserve is located in Odisha. It comprises the Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary and Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary. The Mahanadi River flows through the reserve and forms the Satkosia Gorge. The reserve is also part of the Mahanadi Elephant Reserve. It lies at the meeting point of the Deccan Peninsula and Eastern Ghats biogeographic regions.

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Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched the PaleoIndia Portal. It is a digital platform developed jointly by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Chennai, using Geological Survey of India (GSI) geological maps. The portal documents fossil fauna from all 28 States and 8 Union Territories. It contains information on fossils of mammals, reptiles, birds, fishes, amphibians, molluscs, arthropods, foraminifera, echinoderms, and ichnofossils.

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The tiger population at Nameri Tiger Reserve in Assam has quadrupled in three years. Nameri Tiger Reserve is located in Sonitpur district, Assam. It shares its northern boundary with Pakke Tiger Reserve (Arunachal Pradesh). The reserve comprises Nameri National Park, Sonai-Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary, Naduar Reserve Forest, and Balipara Reserve Forest. It is drained by the Jia Bhoroli River and its tributaries. The Jia Bhoroli River is famous for the Golden Mahseer, known as the “Tiger of Indian Rivers.”

Notes:
Recently, researchers discovered a new plant species, Canscora agni, in the fire-prone savannas of western India. It was discovered on Sus Hill in Pune district, Maharashtra. The species is named “agni” (meaning fire) because it thrives in ecosystems maintained by natural fires. It is a small dwarf herb with white petals and distinctive winged stems, clearly different from its closest relative, Canscora alata. Researchers have recommended classifying Canscora agni as Critically Endangered.

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Recently, the Eurasian lynx was spotted for the first time in Sikkim. The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is a medium-sized wild cat. It is distributed from Western Europe to Russia and Central Asia, and also inhabits the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. It prefers temperate, boreal, and mixed forests, as well as rocky and alpine habitats. It is an elusive, solitary, territorial, and strictly carnivorous animal, mainly active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular). The IUCN Red List Status is Least Concern.

Notes:
Cyananthus hookeri, a rare Himalayan flowering plant, has been recorded in Arunachal Pradesh after 158 years, marking its first confirmed sighting in India since 1867. The species was discovered by scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) near Chuna Valley, Mago village, in Tawang district at an altitude of about 3,600 metres. It belongs to the Campanulaceae (bellflower) family and bears purple-blue flowers. The plant was last recorded in India by Joseph Dalton Hooker in Sikkim in 1867. The species is also found in Bhutan, Nepal, and China, while Arunachal Pradesh forms part of the Eastern Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot.