Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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Australian scientists discovered a larger, more venomous Sydney funnel-web spider species, named Atrax christenseni. The new species, called “Big Boy,” is 9 cm (3.54 inches) long and was first found in the early 2000s near Newcastle. It is dark brown to black with finger-like spinnerets at the abdomen’s end. Its venom glands are bigger, and its fangs are longer. Only male funnel-web spiders cause human deaths due to their stronger venom. Found in bushy suburban areas, forests, and shady gullies. Funnel-web spiders are among the most dangerous, with venom containing 40 toxic proteins.

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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.

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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.

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The Vishwamitri River in Vadodara is undergoing a flood mitigation project due to past severe flooding. The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has launched a three-phase plan to desilt, dredge, and modify the river channel. The plan includes relocating nearly 300 crocodiles living in the river. The Vishwamitri River originates from Pavagadh in Gujarat’s Panchmahal District and flows through western Vadodara. The river, named after the saint Vishwamitra, is joined by two tributaries: Dhadhar and Khanpur, before merging with the Gulf of Khambhat.

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Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Udaipur (Rajasthan) are the first Indian cities accredited as wetland cities under the Ramsar Convention. The Ramsar Convention promotes conservation and wise use of wetlands globally across 172 member countries. Accreditation recognizes cities valuing and conserving natural and human-made wetlands. The latest round accredited 31 cities, including these two, bringing the global total to 74 wetland cities. India currently has 85 protected wetlands under the Ramsar treaty.

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Mount Taranaki in New Zealand was granted legal personhood, becoming the second natural feature to receive this status. The mountain’s legal identity, Te Kāhui Tupua, includes Taranaki and surrounding land. The recognition acknowledges the historical theft of land from the Māori people after colonization. A newly created entity, with members from Māori tribes and the Conservation Minister, will represent the mountain. This law aims to protect the mountain’s health, cultural significance, and traditional practices. New Zealand previously granted personhood to Te Urewera and the Whanganui River.

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Gujarat declared the inland mangrove in Guneri village, Kutch, as its first Biodiversity Heritage Site. It is 45 km from the Arabian Sea and 4 km from Kori Creek, with no seawater inflow. The site is a rare inland mangrove forest, one of only eight globally. It may have originated after the Miocene marine transgression or along the lost Saraswati River. Limestone deposits in the region help sustain groundwater flow for the mangroves. The site was designated under The Biodiversity Act, 2002, after consultation with local bodies.

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The Golden-headed Cisticola (Cisticola exilis) was discovered for the first time in Mathikettan Shola National Park, Idukki, after a long gap. This omnivorous bird primarily feeds on insects, slugs, and grass seeds. It is found in grasslands in mountain ranges, particularly in Australia, parts of India (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, northern Kerala), and Asia. Male birds have golden-orange plumage during breeding and distinctive calls. The bird is listed as Least Concern by IUCN. Mathikettan Shola is in the Western Ghats, Kerala.

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The Environment Ministry’s Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) approved the use of Extended Reach Drilling (ERD) technology for research inside Dibru Saikhowa National Park. Dibru Saikhowa is both a National Park and a Biosphere Reserve in Assam, located on the south bank of the Brahmaputra River. It is bordered by the Brahmaputra and Lohit Rivers in the north and the Dibru River in the south. The park consists of moist mixed semi-evergreen and deciduous forests.

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Mission Amrit Sarovar has rejuvenated or built over 68,000 ponds, helping address water scarcity. It was launched in 2022 under “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.” It aims to develop or rejuvenate 75 Amrit Sarovars in each district, targeting around 50,000 ponds nationwide.