Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, the Tamil Nadu government declared a Greater Flamingo Sanctuary at Dhanushkodi in Ramanathapuram district. It lies within the ecologically important Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve. Greater Flamingo is a pink, large wading bird found across Africa, western Asia, and southern Europe. It lives in shallow, salty wetlands and breeds in lagoons and mudflats. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it is of Least Concern.

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A year-long camera-trap survey by Holématthi Nature Foundation (HNF), led by conservation biologist Dr. Sanjay Gubbi, revealed 80–85 wild leopards around Bengaluru. This makes Bengaluru the metro city with the highest number of free-ranging leopards, surpassing Mumbai’s 54 leopards. The survey recorded 54 leopards inside Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) and 30 in surrounding reserved and private forests. Bannerghatta National Park is located in Karnataka.

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Maharashtra Forest Department has recently partnered with Microsoft and Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA), Pune, to solve socio-ecological issues in Tamhini Wildlife Sanctuary. Tamhini Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected forest located in the Western Ghats near Pune, Maharashtra. It includes 12 compartments from Paund and Sinhgad ranges in Pune division and 8 compartments from Mangaon range in Roha division of Thane.

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Recently, a study highlighted that emperor penguins are facing serious threats from climate change in Antarctica. Emperor penguins are the tallest and heaviest penguin species alive today, evolved around one million years ago. They are specially adapted to survive in the extreme cold of Antarctica and are found across the continent and nearby sub-Antarctic islands. Their habitat mainly includes pack ice and nearby marine areas, where they live their entire lives. As per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, they are classified as Near Threatened.

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A new species of jumping spider named Spartaeus karigiri was recently discovered by researchers in southern India. It belongs to the Spartaeinae subfamily and was found for the first time in India, previously known only from Southeast Asia and Africa. The spider is named after Karigiri (Elephant Hill) in Devarayanadurga, Karnataka, where it was first seen. It is known for its smart hunting skills and web-invasion tactics by tricking other spiders. These spiders have excellent eyesight and mimic prey to catch food.

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Recently, a wildlife scientist highlighted the use of CaTRAT (Camera Trap data Repository and Analysis Tool) to identify Himalayan snow leopards. CaTRAT is a software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and neural network models to automatically sort camera trap images of animal species. It helps researchers efficiently process large volumes of photos and identify snow leopards in high-altitude regions.

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Recently, 300 acres of encroached forest land were cleared in Bukkapatna Chinkara Wildlife Sanctuary. It is located in Tumakuru district of Karnataka. This area was declared a sanctuary in 2019 to protect the Indian Gazelle, also called Chinkara. It is the second Chinkara sanctuary in Karnataka after Yadahalli in Bagalkot district, declared in 2016. The sanctuary has wood savannahs with plenty of grasses and scattered native trees. It supports rich wildlife and helps conserve the Chinkara population.

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Recently, 11 people died and several vehicles fell into the Mahisagar (Mahi) River after the Gambhira-Mujpur bridge collapsed in Padra taluka, Vadodara district, Gujarat. The Mahi River is one of the major west-flowing interstate rivers of India. It flows through Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The river is also known as “Mahisagar” due to its vast size. It originates from the northern slopes of the Vindhya Mountains in Madhya Pradesh at around 500 meters above sea level.

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Recently, lotus flowers have bloomed again in Wular Lake in Kashmir after nearly three decades, bringing hope to local communities. This revival follows ecological restoration efforts, including desilting, aimed at boosting the local economy through lotus stem harvesting. Wular Lake is the largest freshwater lake in India and the second largest in Asia. It is located in the Bandipore district of Jammu and Kashmir and is fed by the Jhelum River.

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Tiwai Island in Sierra Leone has been newly added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2025. It lies in the Moa River, southeastern Sierra Leone. It forms part of the Gola-Tiwai Complex, which includes Gola Rainforest National Park, the country’s largest tropical rainforest. Tiwai is globally known for its rich biodiversity, especially 11 species of primates, including the endangered western chimpanzee, Diana monkey, and king colobus.