Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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Researchers from Justus Liebig University Giessen (Germany), New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, Kakapo Recovery, and University of Otago have successfully used artificial insemination (AI) to breed the critically endangered Kakapo. The Kakapo is the world’s largest flightless parrot, native to New Zealand. It is nocturnal, herbivorous, and the only lek-breeding parrot, where males display together to attract females. Kakapo breed only in years when native fruits like rimu berries are plentiful. Threats include predation by invasive mammals, infertility, high embryo death, and diseases like aspergillosis. Due to these threats, it is listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

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On May 27, 2025, large amounts of tiny plastic pellets called nurdles were found along the coast of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. This followed the sinking of the Liberian cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 on May 25, 2025, which carried containers with hazardous materials. Nurdles are small plastic pellets, 1 to 5 millimeters in size, used as raw materials in plastic manufacturing. They are made of plastics like Low-Density Polyethene (LDPE) and High-Density Polyethene (HDPE). Nurdles are harmful because marine animals ingest them, causing health problems and threatening ecosystems. The incident highlights ongoing marine pollution risks linked to growing global plastic production.

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The Forest Department of Himachal Pradesh recently put on hold its order that imposed a user charge on visitors to the Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary in Sirmaur district. Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh. It lies in the Shivalik range of the Himalayas and was established in 1985. The sanctuary covers an area of 56 square kilometres and surrounds the Churdhar Peak, also known as Choordhar. Churdhar Peak is the highest peak in the outer Himalayas. From the peak, one can view the wild Gangetic plains and Satluj River in the south and Badrinath in the north. A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva at the peak gives the sanctuary spiritual importance.

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Recently, researchers discovered a new plant species named Pedicularis rajeshiana in the high-altitude region of Rohtang Pass in the western Himalayas. It belongs to a group of plants called “Louseworts,” which are hemiparasitic and take some nutrients from other plants while also doing photosynthesis. The plant has unique floral traits and a distinct pollen structure that sets it apart from other species. Compared to its close relatives Pedicularis porrecta and Pedicularis heydei, this new species is smaller in size with fewer flowers and leaflets.

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Recently, due to continuous rainfall in Dakshina Kannada district, the water level of the Netravati River has risen sharply, leading to precautionary evacuation from low-lying areas. The Netravati River is a major west-flowing river in Karnataka and is often called the lifeline of Dakshina Kannada district. It originates from the Bangrabalige Valley of Yelaneeru Ghat in the Kudremukha range of the Western Ghats in Karnataka. The river starts at an elevation of about 1,300 meters in Chikkamagaluru district. It merges with its main tributary, the Kumaradhara River, at Uppinangadi.

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A rare Arctic seabird, the Sabine’s Gull, was recently spotted at Nalsarovar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat — its first sighting in India since 2013 in Kerala. Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary is located in Gujarat. It was declared a sanctuary in 1969 and became a Ramsar Site in 2012 under the Ramsar Convention. It hosts 48 algae and 72 flowering plant species, supporting rich birdlife and biodiversity.

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The Union Ministry of Environment recently declared two new Ramsar sites in Rajasthan: Menar in Udaipur and Khichan in Phalodi. Menar is a freshwater monsoon wetland formed by Braham talab, Dhand talab, Kheroda talab, and nearby farmland that floods during monsoon. It supports water birds like the critically endangered white-rumped vulture and long-billed vulture. Khichan in the Thar Desert includes Ratri river and Vijaysagar pond, and supports 150 bird species.

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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.

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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, scientists discovered a new bat species called Himalayan long-tailed Myotis, or Myotis himalaicus, in the Western Himalayan region. It belongs to the Myotis frater complex, a group of similar bat species found across eastern China, Taiwan, Siberia, Korea, Japan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. This new species is found mainly in Deodar, Pine, and Cedar forests along the southern slopes of the Himalayas. It is considered a rare and native species of the region.