Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Researchers have recorded the World Cup cicada (Chremistica ribhoi) in Assam for the first time, expanding its known distribution. The species is endemic to northeast India and was first described in 2013 from Ri-Bhoi district, Meghalaya. It is popularly called the “World Cup cicada” because it emerges once every four years, coinciding with the FIFA World Cup cycle. Cicadas spend most of their life underground as nymphs before emerging briefly to reproduce. The discovery provides new insights into the species’ distribution and ecology.

Notes:
The Laudankia Vine Snake (Ahaetulla laudankia) was recently photographed in Ubeshwar Wildlife Area, Udaipur (Rajasthan). It is a diurnal (day-active) and arboreal (tree-dwelling) snake belonging to the vine snake group. It is endemic to India, with a distribution from the Eastern Ghats through Central India to eastern Rajasthan. It inhabits dry deciduous forests, scrublands, hill slopes, and other natural green habitats. It is identified by its slender vine-like body, chestnut-brown colour, pointed snout, large eyes, and horizontal pupils.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve is located in Bundi district, Rajasthan. It was notified as India’s 52nd Tiger Reserve in May 2022. The reserve serves as an important wildlife corridor between Ranthambore Tiger Reserve and Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve. It is home to species such as the tiger, leopard, Indian wolf, and striped hyena. It is one of Rajasthan’s five tiger reserves, along with Sariska, Ranthambore, Mukundara Hills, and Dholpur-Karauli. As of July 2026, Rajasthan’s tiger population increased to 149, up from 135 in 2025.

Notes:
Uzbekistan is reintroducing the houbara bustard to restore the degraded ecosystem of the Aral Sea region. The houbara bustard is a large, ground-dwelling desert bird divided into two vulnerable species: African houbara (Chlamydotis undulata) and Asian houbara (Chlamydotis macqueenii). It inhabits deserts, dry steppes, and gravel plains across North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. The Asian houbara undertakes long-distance seasonal migrations to Pakistan, Southwest Asia, and the Arabian Peninsula during winter. The IUCN Red List status of the houbara bustard is vulnerable.

Notes:
The Central Government facilitated talks between Odisha and Chhattisgarh for an amicable settlement of the Mahanadi Water Dispute. The Mahanadi is a major east-flowing peninsular river. It originates from the Sihawa Range in Dhamtari district, Chhattisgarh. The river flows through Chhattisgarh and Odisha. It enters Odisha near Cuttack. It drains into the Bay of Bengal near Paradip. Major tributaries include Seonath, Hasdeo, Ib, Ong, Mand, Tel and Jonk. The river is known for its high silt deposition capacity.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
Researchers from the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) discovered a new seahorse species, Hippocampus amandavincentae. The discovery resolved a 150-year-old taxonomic confusion, as the species had long been misidentified as Hippocampus histrix. Hippocampus amandavincentae is India’s fifth known seahorse species and is named after marine biologist Amanda Vincent. The discovery was published in the journal Zootaxa and will support marine conservation and IUCN Red List assessments.

Notes:
Sonai-Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Sonitpur district of Assam, at the foothills of the Great Himalayan Range. The sanctuary is bordered by the Gabhoru and Panchnoi rivers, Rowta Reserve Forest, and Kameng Reserve Forest of Arunachal Pradesh. It has four perennial rivers—Dolsiri, Gabharu, Gelgeli and Belsiri—along with wetlands locally known as “bheels. Assam Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah inaugurated the newly constructed Kalamati Wildlife Range Office at the sanctuary.

Notes:
Mae Wong National Park is a protected area located in the western-northern region of Thailand. It is a rugged, mountainous park characterized by high-altitude montane evergreen forests, with elevations rising above 1,300 meters. The park recently gained international attention following the scientific description of Acanthosaura syrax, a novel species of mountain horned dragon lizard found in its restricted high-altitude habitats. The park is a critical conservation zone within Thailand, hosting various endemic and threatened species of flora and fauna.