Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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A powerful 6.2 magnitude earthquake recently struck Istanbul, with its epicenter in the Sea of Marmara, causing panic and injuring over 230 people due to stampedes and falls. The Sea of Marmara is a small inland sea in northwestern Turkey, connecting the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea via the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits. It is a key part of the Turkish Straits System, serving as a vital gateway between Asia and Europe. The Sea of Marmara is located entirely within Turkey, separating European Turkey (Thrace) from Asian Turkey (Anatolia).

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Recently, herpetologist Fred Kraus discovered a new species of snake, Dendrelaphis anthracina, also known as the coal black tree snake, in the rainforests of Papua New Guinea. This 4-foot, 8-inch snake was found on Sudest Island, highlighting the area’s biodiversity. Kraus’s research also identified three other new snake species. These include Dendrelaphis atra on Misima Island, Dendrelaphis melanarkys on Rossel Island, and Dendrelaphis roseni on Woodlark Island. The coal black tree snake was observed during a dramatic encounter with a goshawk, demonstrating its defensive behavior. The atra tree snake is adaptable, living in human-altered environments.

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India became the world’s first country to successfully artificially breed the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) with the birth of the third chick at Jaisalmer’s Desert National Park. The technology and training for artificial insemination were obtained from the Abu Dhabi-based “International Fund for Houbara Conservation” and specialized training from the Wildlife Institute of India. The GIB is protected under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.

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Recently, illegal sand mining in the Chambal River region has become a serious issue across states, harming biodiversity and putting officials and journalists at risk. It threatens conservation in the National Chambal Sanctuary, which protects rare species like the Gharial and the Ganges dolphin. The Chambal River originates from Bhadakla Falls near Janapav Hills in Indore district, Madhya Pradesh, at an elevation of 843 metres. It flows about 1,024 kilometres before joining the Yamuna River in Jalaun district, Uttar Pradesh. The river passes through Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. Major right-bank tributaries include Banas, Kali Sindh, Parbati, and Shipra.

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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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A new butterfly species called Euthalia Malaccana has been recorded for the first time in India in Arunachal Pradesh. This species is usually found in the Indo-Australian region, mainly in Southeast Asia including northern Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, and the Sunda Islands. Male butterflies have a distinct blue apical spot on their forewings, while females have larger apical spots. Their hindwings have small red spots. The discovery is important as the species acts as an indicator of ecosystem health. This recent finding adds to India’s rich biodiversity, especially in the Northeast region.

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New research shows that the rare giant shrimp Alicella gigantea is found in 59% of the world’s oceans. Alicella gigantea is a giant amphipod crustacean growing up to 34 cm long. It is one of the largest deep-sea amphipods ever recorded and was thought to be very rare. An early sighting involved a 28 cm specimen found at 5,304 meters depth in the North Pacific. The new study collected 195 records from 75 locations in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. This proves that Alicella gigantea is globally distributed, not rare or local. The Pacific Ocean is its main habitat, with 75% of its seafloor suitable for the species.

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A new genus and species of eusauropod dinosaur named Jinchuanloong niedu was recently discovered from a fossilized partial skeleton with a nearly complete skull in Gansu province, China. Jinchuanloong niedu is an early member of Eusauropoda, a group of long-necked, herbivorous, four-legged dinosaurs. Its fossil was found in the lower Xinhe Formation near Jinchang city, dating back to the Middle Jurassic period, about 165 million years ago. Sauropods are known for their large size, long necks and tails, four legs, and plant-based diet. They were the largest land animals ever and lived from the Early Jurassic to Late Cretaceous worldwide. After a global warming event in the late Early Jurassic, eusauropods became the only surviving sauropod lineage.

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Recently, scientists unearthed large stromatolites dating back 600 million years in the pine-covered ridges of Chambaghat in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. Stromatolites are organo-sedimentary structures formed by algae and cyanobacteria trapping calcium carbonate in shallow marine environments. These structures show thin layers that are flat, dome-shaped, or hummocky in form. They were especially common during the Precambrian period, which is over 542 million years ago. While most stromatolites formed in marine seas, some from the Proterozoic era, over 2.5 billion years ago, lived in intertidal zones and freshwater bodies.

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The Telangana State government recently declared the tiger corridor linking Kawal Tiger Reserve and Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra as the ‘Kumram Bheem Conservation Reserve’. Kawal Tiger Reserve is located in Telangana along the banks of the Godavari River and lies in the Deccan Peninsula-Central Highlands. It is part of the Sahyadri Mountain Ranges and lies at the southern-most tip of the Central Indian Tiger Landscape. It shares ecological connections with Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra and Indravati Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh.