Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) population at Vallanadu Wildlife Sanctuary has increased to a total of 300. Vallanadu Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Tamil Nadu and was established to protect blackbuck antelopes. Blackbuck is an antelope species native to India and Nepal, primarily inhabiting open grasslands, dry scrub, and lightly forested areas. It is distributed across Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and other parts of peninsular India.

Notes:
Recently, an Eastern Imperial Eagle was confirmed visiting Mudumalai Tiger Reserve during the winter migratory season. The scientific name of the Eastern Imperial Eagle is Aquila heliaca. The species breeds in southeastern Europe and across West and Central Asia, with most populations migrating to northeastern Africa, the Middle East, and South and East Asia during winter. It is the second largest eagle in Europe, reaching about 0.92 meters in length, a wingspan of approximately 2.14 meters, and a weight of around 3.6 kilograms. According to the IUCN Red List, the Eastern Imperial Eagle is classified as Vulnerable.

Notes:
Ladakh’s double-humped Bactrian camels will debut at the 77th Republic Day parade, highlighting their unique heritage. Scientifically known as Camelus bactrianus, they are large even-toed ungulates called Ladakh’s “silent warriors”. They are native to Central Asia, ranging from Afghanistan to China, mainly in the Mongolian steppes and Gobi Desert. In India, small populations survive in the high-altitude cold desert of Nubra Valley, Ladakh. They are mainly herbivores and are listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Notes:
The first phase of the All-India Tiger Estimation 2026 (AITE-26) has started in the Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. It is located in the Bargur Hills of Erode district in Tamil Nadu. The sanctuary lies between Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu and Male Mahadeshwara and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuaries of Karnataka. The area is part of the Nilgiris Elephant Reserve.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister announced that Ratapani Tiger Reserve will be named after archaeologist and Padma Shri awardee Dr Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar. Ratapani Tiger Reserve is located in Raisen and Sehore districts of Madhya Pradesh, spread across the Vindhya mountain ranges. The reserve covers about 1,271 square kilometres with an undulating landscape of hills, plateaus, valleys, and plains. It lies north of the Narmada River, with the Kolar River forming its western boundary.

Notes:
Research at 27 test lakes in northeastern Germany showed an increase in the abundance of charophytes. Charophytes are a type of green algae found in freshwater ecosystems. Fossils of charophytes date back to the Silurian Period, about 443 million years ago. This period marked the shift of plants from water to land, and charophytes are the closest living relatives of land plants. They grow in silt, mud, peat, or sand and often colonize newly cleared areas first.

Notes:
The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change chaired a meeting of NIRANTAR, the National Institute for Research & Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build Resilience. NIRANTAR is a collaborative platform of institutions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) aimed at strengthening coordination and cooperation. The platform is organised into four verticals that focus on research, assessment, and utilisation of natural resources, with special emphasis on bioresources. NIRANTAR seeks to promote sustainable use of bioresources to support development while ensuring ecological balance.

Notes:
The Delhi government stated that more than 6,500 monkeys rescued by civic bodies from residential and commercial areas were shifted to Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary in the last five years. Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary covers about 32.71 square kilometres on the Southern Delhi Ridge of the Aravalli hill range along the Delhi–Haryana border. It extends across southern Delhi and parts of Faridabad and Gurugram districts of Haryana. The sanctuary is part of the Northern Aravalli Leopard Wildlife Corridor.

Notes:
The Finke River, called Larapinta by the Arrernte people, is believed to be the world’s oldest river system. It is a major but intermittent river located in central Australia. The river originates in the MacDonnell Ranges of the Northern Territory. It forms from the meeting of Davenport Creek and Ormiston Creek. The river flows for about 600 kilometres towards the Simpson Desert in South Australia. Geological evidence dates the river to the Devonian or Carboniferous period, around 300–400 million years ago. For most of the year, it appears as scattered waterholes but becomes fast-flowing after heavy rains.

Notes:
Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary recorded over five lakh birds of about 200 species in the latest census, showing a 21% rise from 4.12 lakh birds in 2024. The increase is mainly due to no boating, reduced tourist movement, and very low noise pollution over the last two years. It is located around 64 kilometres west of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. “Nal Sarovar” means Tap Lake and it is a natural shallow lake with muddy lagoons and 36 small islets.