Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently on Earth Day, 22nd April 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched the Accelerating Innovative Monitoring for Nature Restoration (AIM4NatuRe) initiative. AIM4NatuRe aims to improve the monitoring and reporting of global ecosystem restoration efforts in a better and faster way. The initiative uses advanced technology, standardized data frameworks, and capacity development to help restore at least 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030, as per Target 2 of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). AIM4NatuRe is a part of FAO’s AIM4Forests Programme but now expands its focus beyond forests for a holistic approach to nature restoration.

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Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Balasore District of Odisha and lies in the Eastern Ghats. It covers an area of 272 square kilometers and is part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau region. It forms a vital part of the Similipal-Kuldiha-Hadgarh Elephant Reserve, which helps protect elephant populations in eastern India. The sanctuary is ecologically linked to the Simlipal Tiger Reserve through the Nato and Sukhupada Hill ranges. It has several water sources, including the Kuldiha stream and its tributaries, supporting rich wildlife. Recently, forest staff arrested a man with a country-made gun and hunting tools during patrolling here.

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The Gujarat High Court recently upheld a demolition drive carried out by state authorities in Ahmedabad’s Chandola Lake area. Chandola Lake, located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, is an artificial lake established by Tajn Khan Nari Ali, the wife of a Mughal Sultan. Covering an area of approximately 1,200 hectares, the lake serves as a key water source for nearby industrial and residential areas. It has a circular shape and is divided into two parts, Chota Chandola and Bada Chandola. The Kharicut Canal Scheme, one of Gujarat’s oldest irrigation schemes, was introduced to irrigate 1,200 acres of rice land near the lake. The lake is home to various bird species, including cormorants, painted storks, and spoonbills.

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A recent breakthrough came as an international team of scientists successfully mapped the genome of the Saola using tissue fragments from hunter-collected remains. The Saola, scientifically named Pseudoryx nghetinhensis, is one of the rarest land mammals and is nicknamed the “Asian Unicorn” because of its secretive nature. It was first discovered in 1992 during a joint survey by the Vietnamese Ministry of Forestry and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). It is listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, with only about 50 to 300 individuals estimated as of 2015. The Saola lives in the evergreen forests of the Annamite Mountains along the Vietnam–Laos border, a region rich in biodiversity and rainfall.

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A new study reveals that Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano, which collapsed in 2018 causing a deadly tsunami, showed warning signs years in advance. Anak Krakatau, meaning “Child of Krakatoa,” is located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. It is a stratovolcano, formed by alternating layers of solidified lava and ash. The volcano sits at the convergent boundary between the Indo-Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Anak Krakatau is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone around the Pacific Ocean. In December 2018, its southwest flank collapsed, generating a tsunami that killed over 400 people and caused widespread destruction.

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A recent peer-reviewed study published in the journal PLOS ONE found that Ladakh has the highest recorded density of snow leopards (Panthera uncia) in the world. Out of India’s estimated 709 snow leopards, about 477 individuals, nearly 68 percent, were found in Ladakh. Hemis National Park reported the world’s highest density at 2.07 snow leopards per 100 square kilometers. Snow leopards in Ladakh occupy around 47,572 square kilometers of mountainous terrain. Around 39 percent of snow leopards are mostly active in protected areas, while 57 percent use them for movement.

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Glaciologists and local communities recently mourned the loss of Nepal’s Yala Glacier, now believed to be the first glacier in Nepal to be declared “dead.” Yala Glacier is located in Langtang National Park in Nepal’s Himalayan region. It lies at an altitude of around 5,000 meters above sea level. It is a small plateau glacier, commonly used for training in glaciological studies and mountaineering. Since the 1970s, the glacier has shrunk by 66% and retreated by 784 meters. Scientists expect it to disappear completely by 2040 due to climate change and rising global temperatures.

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Recent camera trap images from Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (USTR) in Chhattisgarh show a positive rise in wildlife activity with carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores using the forest widely. USTR is located in the Gariaband and Dhamtari districts of Chhattisgarh. It was formed by merging Sitanadi and Udanti Wildlife Sanctuaries. The main river in the reserve is the Mahanadi, along with Udanti, Sitanadi, Indravan, and Pairi Rivers as tributaries. The reserve connects with forests of Kanker and North Kondagaon, forming a corridor to Indravati Tiger Reserve in Bastar.

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Gujarat has completed its 16th lion population census, with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announcing 891 lions. This increase shows Gujarat’s success in wildlife conservation, especially through Project Lion. Project Lion focuses on habitat management, wildlife health monitoring, and community involvement to support lion growth. Preliminary data show 196 adult male lions, with the rest being females, cubs, and sub-adults. Lions, once mostly in Gir National Park, are now spreading to new areas, showing better habitat connectivity. The Asiatic lion is listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, recently upgraded from Endangered.

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Recently, 52 Jenu Kuruba tribal families in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve (NTR) put up a board claiming land rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA). It is located in Karnataka, specifically in the districts of Mysore and Kodagu. The reserve is an ecological meeting point of the Western and Eastern Ghats mountain ranges. It is named after the Nagarahole River, which flows inside the reserve and joins the Kabini River. Nagarahole is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is bordered by Bandipur Tiger Reserve and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. The Kabini River is to the north and Moyar River to the south of the reserve.