Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered two new jumping spider species — Asemonea dentis and Colyttus nongwar — in Meghalaya. Both belong to the Salticidae family known for sharp vision, fast reflexes and hunting by stalking instead of web-making. Asemonea dentis is only the third Indian species of its genus, named for a tooth-like projection on the male; males are greenish-brown with a pale-yellow V-shape and females are creamy white with black marks. Colyttus nongwar is the second Indian species of its genus, named after Nongwar village; both sexes have a reddish-brown oval body with creamy bands and chevron patches.

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Bannerghatta Biological Park in Karnataka recently imported eight black-capped capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella) from South Africa under an animal exchange programme. Black-capped capuchins are also called tufted capuchins and are native to South America, mainly across the Amazon River Basin. They are mainly found in tropical, subtropical, dry, submontane, savannah, and mangrove forests. They are predominantly arboreal (tree-dwelling) and diurnal (active during the day). Conservation status is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Notes:
A new species of snakehead fish has been discovered and named Channa bhoi. It was found in a small mountain stream near Iewmawlong village in the Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya. The species is named to honour the indigenous Bhoi community of the Khasi tribe living in Ri-Bhoi. It belongs to the Gachua group of snakehead fishes, a group rich in species diversity in the Eastern Himalayan region.

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Soil tests in Kuttanad paddy fields in Kerala showed increased aluminium concentration affecting rice cultivation. Kuttanad Wetland Agricultural System is unique as it supports rice farming below sea level. It is the only such below-sea-level rice cultivation system in India. The system consists of wetlands used for paddy farming and fish catching. This integrated system links agriculture, fisheries, and water management. The Kuttanad Below Sea-Level Farming System is recognised under Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS).

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Lantana camara is a highly invasive, strongly scented flowering shrub that has spread across millions of hectares in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions across the world. It is an invasive alien plant species, originally native to Central and South America, where it grew naturally as a harmless ornamental shrub. Due to failed control efforts worldwide, the IUCN declared Lantana camara one of the world’s worst invasive species in 2000. Climate change and global warming are accelerating its spread, although some local communities now use its woody stems for furniture and handicrafts, converting an ecological threat into a livelihood opportunity.

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The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Principal Bench, New Delhi, dismissed an appeal challenging the cancellation of environmental clearance for sand mining in the Dhasan River, Jhansi district. The Dhasan River is a right-bank tributary of the Betwa River, which is itself a tributary of the Yamuna River. It flows through the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The river originates in Madhya Pradesh and forms the southeastern boundary of Lalitpur District in Uttar Pradesh. Historically, the river was known as Dasharna.

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A new conservation project has been approved to protect breeding habitats of sandbar-nesting birds in the Ganga basin, focusing on endangered species like the Indian Skimmer. The Indian Skimmer (also called Indian Scissors-bill) is a distinctive waterbird native to southern Asia. It is one of only three skimmer species worldwide. It is found across India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar, with Nepal as a non-breeding visitor. The species is endangered and relies on sandbar habitats for breeding, making protection of these areas crucial for its survival.

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A three-year-old tiger cub identified as PKT7CP1, rescued three years ago after losing its mother, has been moved to Dnyanganga Wildlife Sanctuary for rewilding. Dnyanganga Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Buldhana district of Maharashtra near the Dnyanganga River. It forms part of the Melghat Tiger Reserve, supporting tiger conservation and rewilding efforts. The sanctuary covers about 205 square kilometres and contains two lakes. It is surrounded by scenic hills of the Western Ghats, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site.

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:
Scientists led by “Frogman of India” S. D. Biju discovered two new frog species from remote mountain regions of Arunachal Pradesh. Soman’s Slender Arm Frog, scientifically named Leptobrachium somani, was discovered at Tiwarigaon and named in honour of environmental journalist E. Somanath. This small frog is about 55 millimetres long, has a greyish-brown body with light-grey markings, and silver-grey to light-blue eyes. It lives in evergreen forests, with males calling near slow or fast-flowing streams. Mechuka Slender Arm Frog, known as Leptobrachium mechuka, is named after Mechuka town where it was first found.