Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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The Maharashtra Forest Department has recently launched a bus safari service at Nandur Madhyameshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in Nashik district. The sanctuary is known as the “Bharatpur of Maharashtra,” a title given by famous Indian ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali. It is located in Nashik district, Maharashtra. The new safari aims to boost eco-tourism and create awareness about wetland biodiversity.

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Due to soaring market demand, overharvesting has pushed wild agarwood close to extinction. Aquilaria malaccensis, also called agarwood, is a tree from the Thymelaeaceae family known for its fragrant resin. Agarwood, also known as Oud, Gaharu or Agar, is one of the most valuable incense materials globally. It grows naturally in Northeast India, mainly in Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur. Its conservation status is Critically Endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Recently, nine men were rescued in a joint operation by police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams after being trapped in the Tawi River due to a sudden rise in water level caused by heavy rains. The Tawi River is a major left-bank tributary of the Chenab River and is an important river in the Jammu region. It is considered sacred and is also known as “Surya Putri” in ancient texts.

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The endangered white-eared night heron was recently camera-trapped in Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh. Namdapha is a national park and tiger reserve on the India–Myanmar border in Changlang District, Arunachal Pradesh. It lies at the meeting point of the Indian subcontinent and Indo-China biogeographic regions. The Namdapha River, a tributary of Noa-Dihing River, flows north to south across it.

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Scientists recently discovered a new fish species named Pethia dibrugarhensis in the Brahmaputra River at Maijan in Dibrugarh, Assam. It belongs to the Cyprinidae family and is classified as a barb. It lives in moderately fast-flowing river stretches with mud, sand, and stone beds. It coexists with other small native fish species in the region. The fish has an incomplete lateral line. It shows a prominent black blotch on both the dorsal and ventral sides of the caudal peduncle. It lacks humeral marks and barbels, making it distinct from other species.

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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.

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Indian scientists recently discovered a new lichen species named Allographa effusosoredica in the Western Ghats. It is the 22nd species of Allographa from the Western Ghats and 53rd from India. This is the first Indian species of Allographa ever sequenced from India. It is a crustose lichen with striking effuse soredia and rare chemical traits. It contains norstictic acid, a rare compound among similar Allographa species. The study used morphological, chemical, and molecular techniques.

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Tamil Nadu has recently announced the establishment of India’s first Centre of Excellence for Hornbill Conservation at Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) in Coimbatore district. Hornbills, called “farmers of the forest”, are vital seed dispersers aiding forest regeneration. They are under threat due to deforestation, habitat loss, and climate change impacts. Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) was chosen due to its rich biodiversity and conservation history for species like tigers, elephants, and lion-tailed macaques.

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Scientists recently discovered two new species of wart sea slugs named Phyllidia ovata and Phyllidia fontjei in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Sea slugs, also called Nudibranchs, are soft-bodied marine molluscs found in oceans worldwide. They belong to Phylum Mollusca and Class Gastropoda, resembling naked snails without shells. They live in coral reefs and feed on algae, sponges, and small invertebrates, making them key indicators of healthy coral ecosystems. Their bright colours warn predators due to toxicity, which they acquire from prey like jellyfish.

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A massive toxic algal bloom of Karenia mikimotoi off South Australia, first detected in March 2025, has killed over 400 marine species and hit tourism and fishing hard. The bloom spans 4,500 square km and is worsened by a marine heatwave since 2024 with 2.5°C rise in sea temperature. Karenia mikimotoi is a red-tide dinoflagellate commonly found in the eastern North Atlantic and around Japan. It releases hemolytic and ichthyo toxins that cause mass deaths of fish, shellfish, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Though it does not directly harm humans, its blooms create anoxic (oxygen-depleted) waters when dead cells decay.