Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
A recent survey of the Hindon River has revealed alarming water quality concerns, with preliminary tests showing zero dissolved oxygen (DO) at multiple locations, making the river “uninhabitable” for most aquatic life. The Hindon River is a tributary of the Yamuna River, flowing through parts of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. It originates in the Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, in the Siwalik Hills, at an elevation of approximately 800 meters (2,625 feet) above sea level. The river flows across the industrial belt of Western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana before merging with the Yamuna near Noida, covering a total length of 400 km. Its main tributaries include the Kali (West) River and the Krishni River.

Notes:
Telangana Government has started rehabilitation and relocation of tribal families from Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) to balance tribal development and wildlife conservation. Amrabad Tiger Reserve is located in the Nallamala Hills of Eastern Ghats in Telangana. It was earlier part of Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve before Andhra Pradesh–Telangana bifurcation (2014). The reserve has rugged terrain, deep valleys, and dense forests, supporting rich biodiversity. Krishna River and its streams flow through the reserve, feeding Srisailam Dam and Nagarjunasagar Dam. The Chenchu tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), is the main community residing inside the reserve.

Notes:
The Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve is being developed as India’s third cheetah habitat, with the foundation of a soft release enclosure (Boma) laid recently. The reserve was created by combining Nauradehi and Durgavati Wildlife Sanctuaries and is located in the Bundelkhand region across Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur districts, Madhya Pradesh. The initiative will help in the safe adaptation and release of cheetahs, strengthening wildlife conservation in India.

Notes:
The Red-Crowned Roofed Turtle is a freshwater turtle species endemic to South Asia and once thrived in the Ganga River, but is now restricted to limited habitats. It belongs to the genus Batagur and is one of the three large freshwater turtles found in India. It is distributed in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and also found in the Brahmaputra River basin. It is listed as Critically Endangered in IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature list.

Notes:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has designated the Bhavasagara Referral Centre as a National Repository for Deep-Sea Fauna under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. The centre is located at the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology in Kochi and functions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. It will act as a national facility for preserving, studying, and documenting India’s deep-sea biodiversity. The initiative strengthens India’s focus on the blue economy and marine biodiversity conservation.

Notes:
The complete mitochondrial genome of the Madras Hedgehog (Paraechinus nudiventris) has been analysed for the first time, revealing insights into its evolutionary history. Locally called Mulleli, it is also known as the bare-bellied hedgehog, discovered in 1851. They are found in dry scrublands, thorn forests, grasslands, and farmland edges in peninsular India—mainly Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of Karnataka. It is listed as Least Concern in International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has proposed an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of 663.32 square kilometres around the Kali Tiger Reserve to regulate activities and protect biodiversity. Kali Tiger Reserve is located in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka in the ecologically fragile Western Ghats. It comprises two contiguous protected areas: Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and Anshi National Park, forming a single ecological landscape. It is connected to Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary and further to Radhanagari and Koyna wildlife sanctuaries in Maharashtra, ensuring wildlife corridors.

Notes:
More than 200 organisations warned that the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage may run out of funds without urgent contributions. Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) operates under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to address climate loss and damage. It was established in 2022 at COP27 (Conference of the Parties 27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Current pledges are about 822 million, far below the required 400 billion annually by 2035. Funds are crucial for least developed and climate-vulnerable countries. India is highly vulnerable due to the Himalayan region and long coastline.

Notes:
Recently, the National Green Tribunal directed the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board to inspect the Lower Lake and submit a detailed report. The Lower Lake (Chhota Talaab) is a man-made lake located in Bhopal. It was built in 1794 by Chote Khan, a minister of Nawab Hayat Muhammad Khan. Along with the Upper Lake (Bada Talaab), it forms the Bhoj Wetland, which is a Ramsar site. The Lower Lake lies east of the Upper Lake and is separated by the Pul Pukhta (Lower Lake Bridge). Both lakes are arranged in a terraced system, with interconnected water levels.

Notes:
The Madras High Court has refused to lift the temporary ban on boating in Pykara Lake, highlighting environmental concerns. Pykara Lake is located in the Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu and was formed by the construction of a dam on the Pykara River. The river originates from Mukurthi Peak and is the largest river in the district. It is considered sacred by the Toda tribe, an indigenous Adivasi community. The Pykara Dam hosts one of the oldest hydropower plants in South India, generating about 60 MW of electricity.