Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The Chadar trek on the frozen Zanskar River in Ladakh was postponed due to weak ice formation, disappointing adventure tourists. The Zanskar River is a major left-bank tributary of the Indus River and flows entirely within the Union Territory of Ladakh. It drains the remote and cold Zanskar Valley in the north-western Himalayas. The river originates at high Himalayan ranges from two main branches. One branch is the Doda River, rising near Pansi La Pass. The other branch forms from the Kargyag River near Shingo La and the Tsarap River near Baralacha La. It flows north-west and joins the Indus River near Nimmu at about 3,100 metres elevation.

Notes:
A forest fire has been raging for five days in the Valley of Flowers, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site, prompting Uttarakhand authorities to seek Indian Air Force (IAF) assistance. The Valley of Flowers National Park is located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand and covers about 87 square kilometres. It was discovered in 1931 by British mountaineers led by Frank S. Smythe. The park is a core zone of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve along with Nanda Devi National Park. It forms a transition zone between the Zanskar and Great Himalayan ranges. The area is famous for alpine meadows, rich biodiversity, scenic beauty, and snow-covered Himalayan peaks.

Notes:
The Miyawaki method is increasingly used in cities where green cover has declined over decades, and it is often seen in recent urban greening drives. It is an afforestation technique developed in the 1970s by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. Trees and shrubs are planted very close together, also called the pot plantation method. Only native species are planted, creating a resilient and balanced ecosystem. Forests grow nearly 10 times faster and become very dense with high biodiversity. Recent municipal projects have used this method to convert polluted and barren urban land into green spaces, reducing pollution, improving soil, and enhancing ecological balance.

Notes:
A recent survey across the Ganga River basin recorded 3,037 gharials in 13 rivers despite serious survival threats. Gharial is a freshwater crocodile belonging to the Crocodylia order and Crocodylidae family. Its scientific name is Gavialis gangeticus and it mainly feeds on fish. Earlier, its range extended across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. Today, major populations survive in the Chambal, Girwa, and Rapti–Naryani rivers. In India, gharial reserves are located in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. As per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, it is critically endangered.

Notes:
The red-eared slider turtle, spread through the pet trade, is threatening freshwater bodies in Coimbatore. It is among the world’s most widely introduced freshwater turtles, found on all continents except Antarctica. This predominantly aquatic species is identified by red stripes behind each ear. It is highly adaptable, survives harsh conditions, and thrives in non-native habitats. It lives 20–50 years in the wild and is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Notes:
A new flowering plant species named Strobilanthes riteshii has been formally recorded from Arunachal Pradesh. It belongs to the Acanthaceae family. The plant grows on open hill slopes, often near small waterfalls and streams within evergreen forest patches. Based on current knowledge, it is provisionally assessed as Data Deficient under the IUCN Red List, indicating that more field data is needed to understand its population status and threats.

Notes:
The Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary in Nuapada district, Odisha was declared Maoist-free in January 2026, enabling improved wildlife monitoring and conservation activities. In the All-India Tiger Estimation exercise (data yet to be officially released), authorities estimate over 70 leopards, with 90% camera traps capturing leopard images. Nuapada district regularly reports human–leopard conflict, supporting evidence of a strong leopard presence. Reduced Maoist activity enabled camera trap installation across all sanctuary sectors for the first time.

Notes:
Scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) discovered a new flowering plant species named Dicliptera pakhalica. The discovery was made in Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary located in Warangal district of Telangana. The sanctuary is dominated by mixed deciduous forest vegetation. The area has rich plant diversity including bamboo and teak trees.

Notes:
The Himalayan Griffon Vulture was recently sighted in Melghat, Maharashtra, influenced by the presence of captive-bred vultures released in the area. It is one of the nine vulture species found in India and belongs to the Old World vultures group. It is mainly found in the Himalayan and Tibetan regions and Central Asian mountains, with limited altitudinal migration into northern India. It is a huge vulture weighing up to 12 kilograms, with long wings adapted for soaring on wind thermals. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it is listed as Near Threatened.

Notes:
Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl, called Ghost of the Forest, was recently photographed in Corbett Reserve, Uttarakhand. Scientific name is Ketupa nipalensis and it is a large forest eagle owl. It is found in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and parts of Southeast Asia. It lives in tropical and subtropical forests, woodlands and savannas. It is one of the longest owls in the world with chocolate brown body and white spots. It is listed as Least Concern in International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list.