Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Kanha Tiger Reserve has become the top tiger habitat in India based on ungulate population, as per a recent report by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun. Kanha Tiger Reserve, also known as Kanha National Park, is located in the Maikal ranges of the Satpura hills in Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh. It lies in the Central Indian Highlands, which form part of India’s main peninsula.

Notes:
Recently, a tigress and her four cubs were found dead in Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary. Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka. It is connected to Biligiri Ranganatha Temple Tiger Reserve, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. The forests here are mainly dry deciduous, with some moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, evergreen and shola forests at different heights.

Notes:
Forest officials in Arunachal Pradesh recently discovered a new flowering plant species named Begonia nyishiorum in the East Kameng district. Begonia nyishiorum is a flowering plant that grows only in East Kameng, making it an endemic species. It grows on moist, shaded mountain slopes at altitudes between 1,500 and 3,000 metres above sea level. The name “nyishiorum” honours the Nyishi tribal community for their forest protection efforts.

Notes:
The Odisha High Court recently sent a notice to the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Baripada, over a ban stopping Munda tribals of Jamunagarh village from performing rituals at Jayara, a sacred site inside Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR). Similipal Tiger Reserve is located in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha. It was recognised by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a Biosphere Reserve in 2009.

Notes:
The Odisha government recently invited bids to build a high-level bridge over the Mahanadi River near Satkosia Tiger Reserve, raising ecological concerns. Satkosia Tiger Reserve is located in Odisha across Angul, Cuttack, Boudh, Nayagarh districts. It includes Baisipalli Sanctuary and Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary. It is part of the Mahanadi Elephant Reserve. Satkosia lies at the junction of the Deccan Peninsula and Eastern Ghats biogeographic regions.

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.

Notes:
Recently, at Ramsar COP15 held at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, India introduced a resolution on ‘Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles for the Wise Use of Wetlands’. The resolution was adopted with support from 172 Ramsar Contracting Parties, 6 International Organisation Partners, and other observers. It highlights the importance of individual and societal choices in wetland conservation and promotes a pro-planet lifestyle. It urges countries to integrate lifestyle-based interventions into wetland policies, plans, and investments. The resolution calls for public-private collaboration, education at all levels, and awareness to promote wise use of wetlands.

Notes:
Odisha launched a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) under the Shree Anna Abhiyan (SAA) to conserve landraces and empower smallholder farmers. Landraces are genetically diverse traditional seed varieties adapted to local conditions with traits like pest resistance and climate resilience. The SOP bridges the gap between formal seed systems and community-led traditional seed systems. It expands beyond millets to include pulses, cereals, and tubers. Surveys will identify valuable landraces based on farmers’ knowledge and scientific traits.

Notes:
Recently, the ‘Matri Van’ initiative was launched by the Union Ministers for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Housing and Urban Affairs. It is part of the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ programme of the Government of India. Matri Van is a theme-based urban forest to be developed over 750 acres in the Aravalli Hill area. It aims to promote biodiversity, public well-being, and urban sustainability through mother-nature-inspired efforts. It includes removal of invasive Kabuli Kikar (Prosopis juliflora) and plantation of native Dhak and Amaltash trees.

Notes:
An albino Indian flapshell turtle (Lissemys punctata) with a bright yellow shell and skin was recently spotted in a freshwater lake at Chikodra village, Gujarat. It is found in Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, inhabiting shallow, quiet, stagnant waters like rivers, ponds, lakes, marshes, canals, and tanks, preferring sand or mud bottoms for burrowing. The species is identified by femoral flaps that cover its limbs when withdrawn and an oval soft shell. It is classified as Vulnerable under the IUCN Red List.