Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh will translocate 15 tigers (12 tigresses and 3 tigers) to Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha after Central Government approval. Tigers will be relocated from Bandhavgarh, Kanha, and Pench Tiger Reserves. These tiger reserves are located in Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh leads India in tiger population with 785 tigers, followed by Karnataka (563) and Uttarakhand (560). Ratapani forest was recently notified as MP’s eighth tiger reserve.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has amended the rules for selecting experts for the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC). GEAC is a statutory committee under the 1989 rules for hazardous and genetically engineered organisms framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It was renamed from the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee to Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee in 2010. GEAC operates under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

Notes:
The Tamil Nadu Forest Department and an NGO are running a pilot project to remove Mucuna bracteata, an invasive plant, from rubber plantations and forest areas in Kanniyakumari. Originally introduced to protect rubber trees, it has spread across parts of the Western Ghats, including regions near the Kalakkad-Mundanthurai tiger reserve. Mucuna bracteata now covers large areas, overtaking native trees and hindering their growth. The vine is a threat to biodiversity and is found mainly in the rainforest of Kanniyakumari and abandoned rubber plantations.

Notes:
A group of 12 critically endangered Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) was recently spotted at Desert National Park (DNP) in Rajasthan, boosting conservation efforts. Desert National Park (DNP) is located in the Thar Desert near Jaisalmer and spans over 3,160 sq. km, making it one of India’s largest national parks. The park lies in an extremely arid region with annual rainfall below 100 mm. Its terrain includes craggy rocks, salt lake bottoms, dunes (20% of the park), and three main lakes: Rajbaugh, Malik Talao, and Padam Talao.

Notes:
Experts link the severity of wildfires in the USA to hydroclimate whiplash, intensified by climate change. Hydroclimate whiplash is a rare condition where a wet season is followed by an extremely dry one. This leads to increased hazards like flash floods, wildfires, landslides, and disease outbreaks. It can harm water quality due to harmful algal blooms and excess organic or mineral content. It also affects food security by reducing plant productivity, causing crop failures, and leading to livestock mortality.

Notes:
The Union Home Ministry is considering a proposal to regularize nautor land in Ladakh, granting locals ownership of government wastelands they have used for years. Nautor Land refers to barren government land allocated for cultivation or productive use with official approval. It originated in 1932 under Hari Singh in Jammu and Kashmir and was later adopted in Himachal Pradesh in 1968 before being halted. The policy targets hilly and remote areas like Leh, Kargil, and parts of Himachal Pradesh. Regularization ensures ownership for locals, safeguards resources from outsiders, and preserves cultural and economic traditions.

Notes:
Tungabhadra River water turned green near villages in Mundargi taluk, Gadag district, Karnataka, causing panic. It is a major tributary of the Krishna River, sacred to Hindus, and mentioned as “Pampa” in the Ramayana. The river originates from the Tunga (147 km) and Bhadra (178 km) streams in the Western Ghats and runs 531 km to meet the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh. It passes through Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and forms an interstate boundary.

Notes:
Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) identified 23 species of blood-sucking flies, 13 new to India, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. These flies, called “bhusi flies,” feed on livestock and wild animals and are similar to mosquitoes. Five species transmit the bluetongue disease virus, threatening livestock and agricultural economies. The study found 17 of the 23 species bite humans, but no human disease transmission was reported. Researchers emphasize the need for surveillance and control measures, especially due to the region’s tourism significance. The study was conducted in 2022-2023, with plans for further surveys and genetic studies.

Notes:
Nepal’s Yala Glacier, a key glacier in the Langtang Valley, is projected to disappear by the 2040s. It is part of the Hindu Kush Himalayan region and is extensively studied in the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) database. Yala Glacier is the only Himalayan glacier on the Global Glacier Casualty List. Globally, there are over 275,000 glaciers, covering 700,000 sq km and storing 70% of Earth’s fresh water, including ice sheets. Yala Glacier is crucial for studying the cryosphere and understanding climate impacts on Himalayan glaciers.

Notes:
The UN declared 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. March 21 will be celebrated annually as World Day for Glaciers, starting in 2025. UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) will co-facilitate the initiative. The goal is to raise awareness about glaciers’ role in the climate system, water cycle, and their economic, social, and environmental impacts. Glaciers cover over 700,000 sq. km globally, comprising 275,000 glaciers, and hold about 70% of the world’s freshwater.