Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The Blyde Rondavel Flat Gecko was rediscovered in the Blyde River Canyon, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, after being unseen for 34 years. This flat-bodied lizard grows up to 8–9 cm and is adapted to live on cliffs and rocky outcrops, making it hard to spot. It was first discovered in 1991, but no sightings since then led to fears of extinction or doubts about it being a distinct species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had listed it as “Data Deficient” due to lack of data. The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) confirmed its rediscovery during a special expedition to a remote rocky area. This gecko is the fifth lost species rediscovered by the Endangered Wildlife Trust in recent years, after a dune mole, a butterfly, a lizard, and a frog.

Notes:
Experts from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, recently radio-collared three endangered fishing cats in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS). Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) is located in Andhra Pradesh. This is the first time in India that fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) have been collared to study their home range, breeding, prey, and behaviour. Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary lies in the Godavari estuary where the Coringa river meets the Bay of Bengal in Kakinada district.

Notes:
Recently, the Prime Minister of India celebrated World Environment Day by planting a Sindoor sapling at his official residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi. The Sindoor plant, scientifically known as Bixa orellana, is a small tropical shrub famous for its bright red seeds. It is commonly called ‘Annatto’ in English and Sindoor plant in Hindi. It is generally found in tropical regions of Central America. It grows well in most soils, preferring neutral to slightly alkaline types.

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A year-long camera-trap survey by Holématthi Nature Foundation (HNF), led by conservation biologist Dr. Sanjay Gubbi, revealed 80–85 wild leopards around Bengaluru. This makes Bengaluru the metro city with the highest number of free-ranging leopards, surpassing Mumbai’s 54 leopards. The survey recorded 54 leopards inside Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) and 30 in surrounding reserved and private forests. Bannerghatta National Park is located in Karnataka.

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Maharashtra Forest Department has recently partnered with Microsoft and Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA), Pune, to solve socio-ecological issues in Tamhini Wildlife Sanctuary. Tamhini Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected forest located in the Western Ghats near Pune, Maharashtra. It includes 12 compartments from Paund and Sinhgad ranges in Pune division and 8 compartments from Mangaon range in Roha division of Thane.

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Recently, AviList, the world’s first unified global checklist of bird species, was launched to support effective bird conservation. It replaces the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) and Clements lists and will be updated every year. AviList offers the most updated and reliable classification of global bird species. It is a result of global collaboration involving BirdLife International, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the American Ornithologists Society, the International Ornithologists’ Union, and Avibase. The list includes 11,131 bird species, 19,879 subspecies, 2,376 genera, 252 families, and 46 orders.

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Recently, a plan was prepared to adjust the boundary of the Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) of Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan to possibly reopen over 50 marble and dolomite mines closed by a Supreme Court order in 2023 due to their closeness to the protected area. Sariska Tiger Reserve is located in Rajasthan and lies within the Aravalli mountain range, which is the world’s oldest. The reserve is known for heritage sites like Pandu Pol, Bhangarh Fort, Ajabgarh, Pratapgarh, Siliserh Lake, and Jai Samand Lake.

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Recently, the Union Ministry of Environment approved funding for a pilot scheme called ‘Tigers Outside of Tiger Reserves’ to reduce human-tiger conflicts. The scheme aims to improve protection, monitoring, and conflict management in areas where tigers live outside protected tiger reserves. It is supported by the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), which gave in-principle approval for one year of pilot implementation. The scheme has a total budget of ₹88 crore until 2026–27. It is based on data showing that around 30% of India’s tiger population lives outside official reserves.

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A new freshwater fish species named Barilius imphalensis was recently discovered in the Imphal River, Manipur. It is locally called “Ngawa” in the Meitei language. The fish belongs to the Danionidae family and Chedrinae subfamily, known for vibrant patterns and ecological value. It is endemic to the Imphal River and differs from similar species in India and Southeast Asia. It lives in clear, shallow waters 3 to 5 feet deep, with gravel beds and riverbank plants.

Notes:
A rare partially white laughing dove was recently seen in Nagamalai hillock forest near Nambiyur in Erode, Tamil Nadu. Laughing Dove is a small pigeon also known as little brown dove, laughing turtle dove, palm dove, and Senegal dove. It is a resident breeder in Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian Subcontinent, including India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. It lives in dry scrub and semi-desert areas and feeds on the ground.