Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) reported a global crackdown on illegal wildlife and forestry trade in 2025. The operation ran from 15 September to 15 October 2025 across 134 countries. Police, customs, border security, forestry and wildlife agencies worked together. A total of 4,640 seizures were made in one month. More than 30,000 live animals, protected plants, timber and spices were seized. The crackdown was called Operation Thunder 2025 and was led by Interpol with the World Customs Organization. Authorities seized ivory, rhino horns, pangolin scales, reptiles, birds, insects, plants and illegal timber. Interpol warned that wildlife crime is worth up to 20 billion US dollars yearly and linked to other serious crimes.

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Researchers have recently discovered three previously unknown moth species in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas. The newly identified species are Gelechia bilobuncusa, Gelechia adi, and Istrianis ladakhensis. Gelechia bilobuncusa was found in Himachal Pradesh and is named after the bilobed shape of its uncus, a part of the male genitalia. Gelechia adi was discovered in the Ramsing area of Arunachal Pradesh and is named in honour of the local Adi tribe of the Upper Siang district. Istrianis ladakhensis is named after its type locality in Ladakh and is adapted to the high-altitude environment.

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A new conservation project has been approved to protect breeding habitats of sandbar-nesting birds in the Ganga basin, focusing on endangered species like the Indian Skimmer. The Indian Skimmer (also called Indian Scissors-bill) is a distinctive waterbird native to southern Asia. It is one of only three skimmer species worldwide. It is found across India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar, with Nepal as a non-breeding visitor. The species is endangered and relies on sandbar habitats for breeding, making protection of these areas crucial for its survival.

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Scientists discovered a new species of reed snake in Mizoram and named it Calamaria mizoramensis after the state. It is a non-venomous snake, meaning it does not produce poison harmful to humans. The species is nocturnal, active mainly at night, and semi-fossorial, meaning it partly lives underground. It inhabits humid, forested hill regions at elevations of 670 to 1,295 metres above sea level, even near human settlements. The snake is small, with a dark brown to blackish body, faint stripes, and a yellow underside.

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The Senapati Forest Division launched Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) exercises to restore the Barak River watershed and support local livelihoods. The exercise was conducted at Saranamai village in Senapati district, Manipur, under the Barak catchment area. It involved community mapping of natural resources, land use, wealth status, matrix ranking, timelines, and Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis. The exercise will provide baseline data for an action plan under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

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During the All India Tiger Estimation 2026 survey, the Indian giant squirrel was sighted in the Atwan region of the Pune forest division. The Indian Giant Squirrel is also known as the Malabar Giant Squirrel and is a large rodent species native to India. It belongs to the category of tree squirrels and is adapted to living in forest canopies. It is among the largest squirrel species found in the world. The species is mainly distributed across the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, and the Satpura Range. It is the state animal of Maharashtra and is locally known as Shekru.

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Scientists have confirmed India’s first case of freshwater pufferfish poisoning, highlighting a new public health concern. Pufferfish belong to the order Tetraodontiformes and are also called toadfish, patkafish, balloonfish, and fugu. They are omnivorous and benthic, meaning they live and feed near the river bottom. In India, they are mainly found in the Western Ghats and river basins like Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Mahanadi. Freshwater pufferfish species in India are often endemic and indicate healthy river ecosystems. According to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), pufferfish are listed as Vulnerable.

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Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district of Odisha has reported a marginal rise in migratory birds as per the latest forest department census. The park covers about 672 square kilometres of mangrove swamps formed by the Brahmani, Baitarani, and Dhamra river delta. It contains creeks, backwaters, estuaries, deltas, and mudflats and is surrounded by Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. Gahirmatha Beach and Marine Sanctuary lie to the east near the Bay of Bengal. It is India’s second largest mangrove ecosystem after the Sundarbans and is a Ramsar site.

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The Rajasthan Forest and Environment Minister stated that villagers in Dholpur–Karauli Tiger Reserve will not be relocated without their consent. Dholpur–Karauli Tiger Reserve is located in eastern Rajasthan across Dholpur and Karauli districts. It shares ecological continuity with Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve towards the west. The reserve lies close to the Chambal River in the east, which acts as a natural boundary and water source. It was officially notified in 2023 as Rajasthan’s fifth tiger reserve.

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Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary recorded over five lakh birds of about 200 species in the latest census, showing a 21% rise from 4.12 lakh birds in 2024. The increase is mainly due to no boating, reduced tourist movement, and very low noise pollution over the last two years. It is located around 64 kilometres west of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. “Nal Sarovar” means Tap Lake and it is a natural shallow lake with muddy lagoons and 36 small islets.