Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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The Island of Taiwan is suitable for the reintroduction of the clouded leopard. Clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa) have distinct cloud-shaped patches on their pale-yellow to brown fur, helping them blend into dense forests. They are found in Southeast Asia, including India, China, and Malaysia, and prefer dense evergreen forests. Their conservation status is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, and they are protected under CITES Appendix I and the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Schedule I.

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NASA’s Landsat 8 satellite captured images of ‘sea smoke’ rising from Antarctica’s Pine Island Glacier, a phenomenon where frigid air meets warm water, creating fog-like plumes. This rare atmospheric event highlights the glacier’s vulnerability and the impact of strong winds on polar ice sheets. Sea smoke forms when cold air cools and condenses over open waters, resulting in ghostly ice crystal plumes that can influence ice mass balance. Pine Island Glacier is known for its rapid retreat and significant role in ice flow dynamics.

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The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has formed a team to investigate the death of ten elephants in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. The Madhya Pradesh government has also set up a five-member committee, led by APCCF (Wildlife), to conduct an inquiry. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve is situated between the Vindhyan and Satpura ranges in Madhya Pradesh’s Umaria district. It was designated as a national park in 1968 and became a tiger reserve in 1993.

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The Seventh Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in New Delhi focused on sustainable energy and agrivoltaic farming. Agrivoltaic farming involves using land for both agriculture and solar energy generation, with crops growing under solar panels. It maximizes land efficiency, provides shade to crops, reduces heat stress, and supports climate resilience. This practice boosts renewable energy generation, contributes to food security, and offers economic benefits by diversifying income through both crops and solar energy.

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Mealworm larvae, recently discovered in Kenya, can eat plastic (Polystyrene) and have gut bacteria that help break it down. Found mainly in poultry houses, the larvae thrive in warm environments with a constant food supply. This is the first African-native insect identified with this ability, though it can also be found outside Africa. Polystyrene, commonly used in packaging, is durable but difficult and costly to recycle using traditional methods, often creating pollutants.

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Paleontologists recently discovered a new species of pterosaur, Nipponopterus mifunensis, from Japan’s Late Cretaceous period. Pterosaurs were flying reptiles that thrived throughout the Mesozoic Era. They were the first vertebrates to fly, using strong forelegs to launch into the air. Pterosaurs are not dinosaurs but are archosaurs, sharing a group with birds and crocodiles. The largest flying vertebrate, Quetzalcoatlus, was a pterosaur. They went extinct about 65.5 million years ago during the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event. Birds, descendants of dinosaurs, replaced pterosaurs as dominant flyers.

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The Little Gull, a bird native to Eurasia, was spotted for the first time in NCR. It is the world’s smallest gull species, measuring 25–30 cm in length with a wingspan of 61–78 cm and weighing 68–162 g. The bird belongs to the Laridae family and is migratory, breeding in northern Europe and wintering in coastal regions of western Europe, the Mediterranean, and the northeast US. It inhabits seacoasts, estuaries, lakes, rivers, and marshes. It is classified as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List.

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The Markhor, a wild goat with spiral-shaped horns, was recently spotted in Noorkha village, Baramulla, North Kashmir. Markhors are large wild goats known for their thick fur, flowing beard, and corkscrew horns. They are diurnal animals, active in early mornings and late afternoons. Found in mountain areas of Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. In Jammu and Kashmir, they inhabit Shopian, Banihal, Shamsbari, Kazinag Uri, and Pir Panjal ranges. The Markhor is Pakistan’s national animal and is listed as “Near Threatened” by the IUCN.

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Environmentalists oppose mining near Bukkapatna Chinkara Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka. The sanctuary, established in 2019, aims to protect chinkaras (Indian gazelles). It is the second chinkara sanctuary in Karnataka after Yadahalli Chinkara Wildlife Sanctuary. Located in Sira Taluk of Tumakuru district, the sanctuary spans 148 km² (57 sq mi). Named after the village Bukkapatna, it is a vital habitat for chinkaras. Mining proposals raise concerns about potential threats to the sanctuary’s ecosystem and wildlife.

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Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore became India’s first zero-waste airport with a new 3000 sq ft Material Recovery Facility. The facility uses a waste management system to segregate and recycle waste from the airport and aircraft. Wet waste will be converted into fertilizer, following the 4R principle: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Restore. Indore Airport’s passenger capacity will increase from 40 lakh to 90 lakh annually within 3 years.