Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The Uttarakhand Forest Department has set up the state’s first Cycad Garden at Haldwani. The garden covers about 0.75 hectare and showcases 31 cycad species, 17 of which are threatened. It includes 9 species native to India, like Cycas andamanica, Cycas beddomei, and Cycas circinalis. The project is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Cycads are ancient plants from the Mesozoic era and are called “living fossils.” They grow slowly, reproduce less, and are vulnerable to habitat loss. They are ecologically important and fix nitrogen through symbiosis with cyanobacteria in their roots. This garden aims to support research, conservation, and public awareness.

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Keoladeo National Park, also called Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is located in Rajasthan. It was established as a hunting reserve in the 19th century by Maharaja Suraj Mal and became a bird sanctuary in 1956. It was declared a national park in 1981 and named after a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva inside the park. The park spreads across 29 square kilometres and includes woodlands, swamps, and wet grasslands. It is a Ramsar site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its rich biodiversity. Recently, the park is also becoming a safe home for turtles, sheltering eight out of ten species found in Rajasthan.

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The Central Government recently declared an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Tral Wildlife Sanctuary in Jammu and Kashmir. Tral Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Pulwama District and plays a key role as a wildlife movement corridor. It is one of the rare places outside Dachigam National Park where the critically endangered Hangul deer is still found. The sanctuary has typical Himalayan moist temperate, sub-alpine, and alpine forest types.

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Recently, scientists discovered a new frog species named Amolops shillong, or the Shillong Cascade Frog, right inside the city limits of Shillong, Meghalaya. This frog lives in fast-flowing streams hidden within Shillong’s urban forest areas. It belongs to a group of stream frogs that look very similar and are hard to identify. Genetic studies confirmed that Amolops shillong is part of the Amolops indoburmanensis complex and is closely related to Amolops siju, which was found in Siju Cave by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in 2023.

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The Valley of Flowers recently reopened to tourists for this year. The Valley of Flowers National Park is located in the Uttarakhand. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, along with Nanda Devi National Park. It was discovered in 1931 by British mountaineer Frank S. Smythe and his team. It is famous for its rich flora like orchids, poppies, daisies, and medicinal herbs.

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Recently, the Prime Minister of India celebrated World Environment Day by planting a Sindoor sapling at his official residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi. The Sindoor plant, scientifically known as Bixa orellana, is a small tropical shrub famous for its bright red seeds. It is commonly called ‘Annatto’ in English and Sindoor plant in Hindi. It is generally found in tropical regions of Central America. It grows well in most soils, preferring neutral to slightly alkaline types.

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Recently, nine men were rescued in a joint operation by police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams after being trapped in the Tawi River due to a sudden rise in water level caused by heavy rains. The Tawi River is a major left-bank tributary of the Chenab River and is an important river in the Jammu region. It is considered sacred and is also known as “Surya Putri” in ancient texts.

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Recently, Kerala’s Western Ghats became home to India’s first butterfly sanctuary after the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary in Kannur was renamed as Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary on 18 June 2025 by the Kerala State Wildlife Board. The sanctuary covers 55 square kilometers of tropical and semi-evergreen forests and hosts over 266 species of butterflies, more than 80% of all species in Kerala. Some butterfly species found here are unique or endangered, and between October and February, the sanctuary sees a vibrant butterfly migration, especially of the Common Albatross.

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Recently, ‘Vatsala’, Asia’s oldest elephant, died at the age of over 100 years in Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. Panna Tiger Reserve is the only tiger reserve in the Bundelkhand region. It is located in the Vindhyan mountain range in northern Madhya Pradesh. It lies in the Deccan Peninsula biogeographic zone and the Central Highlands biotic province.

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Recently, hundreds of buffaloes were found grazing illegally inside the restricted area of Pong Wildlife Sanctuary in Samkehar, Bathu, and Panalath, violating sanctuary rules. Pong Dam Lake Wildlife Sanctuary is also known as Maharana Pratap Sagar. It is a manmade reservoir created by the Pong Dam on the Beas River in the Shivalik hills, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh. The sanctuary includes both the reservoir water body and surrounding wetland areas. It was declared a Ramsar Site in 2002 for its ecological importance.