Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Recently, due to continuous rainfall in Dakshina Kannada district, the water level of the Netravati River has risen sharply, leading to precautionary evacuation from low-lying areas. The Netravati River is a major west-flowing river in Karnataka and is often called the lifeline of Dakshina Kannada district. It originates from the Bangrabalige Valley of Yelaneeru Ghat in the Kudremukha range of the Western Ghats in Karnataka. The river starts at an elevation of about 1,300 meters in Chikkamagaluru district. It merges with its main tributary, the Kumaradhara River, at Uppinangadi.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
Recently, the Jammu and Kashmir Government formed a Divisional Level Committee to monitor the Eco-Sensitive Zone around the Surinsar-Mansar Wildlife Sanctuary. This sanctuary is located in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and is named after the twin lakes Surinsar and Mansar. It spreads across Jammu, Udhampur, and Samba districts, with most of it lying in Jammu district.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
Recently, the Union Ministry of Environment approved funding for a pilot scheme called ‘Tigers Outside of Tiger Reserves’ to reduce human-tiger conflicts. The scheme aims to improve protection, monitoring, and conflict management in areas where tigers live outside protected tiger reserves. It is supported by the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), which gave in-principle approval for one year of pilot implementation. The scheme has a total budget of ₹88 crore until 2026–27. It is based on data showing that around 30% of India’s tiger population lives outside official reserves.

Notes:
The Odisha government recently invited bids to build a high-level bridge over the Mahanadi River near Satkosia Tiger Reserve, raising ecological concerns. Satkosia Tiger Reserve is located in Odisha across Angul, Cuttack, Boudh, Nayagarh districts. It includes Baisipalli Sanctuary and Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary. It is part of the Mahanadi Elephant Reserve. Satkosia lies at the junction of the Deccan Peninsula and Eastern Ghats biogeographic regions.

Notes:
Recently, a report highlighted that the leopard population in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) has increased by 198.91% since 2022. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is located on the Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur-Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh. It comprises Dudhwa National Park and two wildlife sanctuaries—Kishanpur and Katerniaghat—along with forest areas of North Kheri, South Kheri, and Shahjahanpur in its buffer zone. The reserve lies in the Tarai-Bhabar habitat of the Upper Gangetic Plains Biogeographic Province.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
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.