Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
A new species of jumping spider named Pilia malenadu was recently discovered in the Western Ghats of Karnataka. It was found in Madhugundi, located in Mudigere taluk of Chikkamagaluru district. The species belongs to the Pilia genus of jumping spiders. It was named “Pilia malenadu” to honour the region where it was discovered. This is a historic find as the last Pilia species was recorded 123 years ago in 1902 in Kerala. For the first time, researchers found both male and female spiders of this genus.

Notes:
A flock of rare White Ibis, also known as Black-headed Ibis, was recently sighted in the salt pan regions of Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu. The Black-headed Ibis, also called the Oriental White Ibis or Indian White Ibis, belongs to the ibis family Threskiornithidae. It is a wader bird adapted to various aquatic environments. It is found across South and Southeast Asia, from India to Japan. It is listed as “Least Concern” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Notes:
The Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change recently launched the Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change at COP30. The initiative was first announced at the G20 Leaders Summit 2024 as a multilateral effort among countries and global organisations. It aims to fund research and actions that promote truthful and reliable information on climate issues. A Global Fund for Information Integrity on Climate Change has also been launched. The Declaration states that climate misinformation has become a climate crisis. It defines climate misinformation as false or misleading content about climate change, its causes, impacts, or solutions

Notes:
Semeru Volcano on Indonesia’s main island of Java erupted recently, sending ash and gas kilometres into the sky and prompting officials to raise the alert to the highest level. It is located in East Java, Indonesia, and is one of the country’s most active volcanoes. At 3,676 metres (12,060 feet), it is the highest peak on Java and part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire”. The volcano lies at the southern end of a volcanic massif extending north to the Tengger caldera. Its summit shifts from northwest to southeast, creating complex topography.

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Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district of Assam is recording an early arrival of migratory birds with winter beginning. Birds are coming from Europe America and the Tibetan region attracting wildlife lovers. Pobitora is located in the eastern region of Guwahati, Assam, and lies near Mayong village known as the Black Magic capital of India. The sanctuary was established in 1998 and covers 48.81 sq km area. It includes Rajamayong Reserve Forest and Pobitora Reserve Forest. The region was once part of the Brahmaputra River floodplains and is known for rich flora and fauna

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Cuban scientists are working to restore Cuba’s Zapata Swamp to save the Cuban gar from extinction. The Cuban gar (Atractosteus tristoechus), also called manjuarí, belongs to the Lepisosteidae family. Gars are an ancient fish family, existing for about 100 million years. It is a tropical freshwater species that can also live in brackish water. The IUCN conservation status of the Cuban gar is Critically Endangered.

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Bioremediation means “restoring life through biology” using microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, algae, and plants to clean polluted land and water. These organisms break oil, pesticides, plastics, and heavy metals into safer products like water and carbon dioxide. In situ bioremediation treats pollution at the site, while Ex situ bioremediation treats removed soil or water in a facility. India needs it due to severe river, soil, and industrial pollution and the high cost of traditional cleanup methods. It is cheap, eco-friendly, job-creating, but needs strict safety rules for genetically modified (GM) microbes.

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Land reclamation in the ravines of the Chambal River area increases risks of soil erosion, flooding, and loss of biodiversity. The Chambal, called Charmanvati in ancient times, is a major tributary of the Yamuna in the Gangetic drainage system. It is a perennial river originating from Janapav near Indore on the Vindhya range. It flows through Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

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A Rainbow Water Snake (Enhydris enhydris) was photographed for the first time in Uttar Pradesh in the buffer of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR), proving the area’s rich ecology. The 35 cm snake was slightly inactive due to ecdysis (skin shedding) and was safely released after minimal handling and measurement. The sighting highlights Terai ecosystem diversity; six new species have been reported from Uttar Pradesh in the past two years. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is located on the Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur-Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh.

Notes:
Russia has joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) as its 19th member, strengthening India-led global efforts to protect endangered big cats. International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was launched in April 2023 during the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger. It is a treaty-based inter-governmental organisation focused on conserving seven big cat species: tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma. The alliance aims to facilitate collaboration and synergy among stakeholders, consolidating successful conservation practices and expertise for global big cat protection.