Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Recently, a team of birders recorded India’s first confirmed sighting in 46 years of the Long-billed Bush Warbler in Suru Valley, Ladakh. The Long-billed Bush Warbler is scientifically known as Locustella major. It is a medium-sized songbird with a long tail and long bill, measuring about 15–17 cm. It is found in Central Asian mountains, including parts of India, China, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. Its habitat includes grassy slopes, upland terraced fields, and forest edges at altitudes of 2400–3600 metres. It is listed as Near Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Notes:
Scientists have recorded the sliteye shark for the first time in the Great Chagos Bank, the world’s largest coral atoll. The shark is named for its narrow slit-like eyes and was filmed in deep seagrass habitats on the southern rim of the Bank. Two sharks were recorded 11 km apart at depths of 23–29 metres using Baited Remote Underwater Video systems. The species usually lives in deep waters but also adapts to shallow clear seas. The study shows that sliteye sharks also depend on these meadows, highlighting their biodiversity value. Sliteye sharks are listed as near-threatened and may decline by 30% in 15 years due to fishing pressure.

Notes:
Recently, Palmyra palm trees in Odisha were found to reduce lightning-related deaths and provide food for elephants during lean seasons. The tree is commonly known as sugar palm, toddy palm, or fan palm. It is native to tropical Africa but widely cultivated and naturalized in India, often planted as a windbreak on plains. Palmyra trees act as natural shelters for birds, bats, and wild animals. The main product is sweet sap (toddy), which ferments quickly and is used as a beverage.

Notes:
Nepal has officially joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), an India-led global initiative to protect seven species of big cats. The IBCA is a multi-country, multi-agency coalition of over 90 big cat range and non-range countries interested in conservation. Nepal joined by signing the Framework Agreement on August 24, 2025. Nepal’s landscape hosts snow leopard, tiger, and common leopard, strengthening global collaboration for big cat conservation. The alliance focuses on tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma conservation.

Notes:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has established the National Designated Authority (NDA) to implement a carbon emissions trading system in India. . The NDA is a mandatory requirement under Article 6 of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which provides the framework for international carbon trading. The primary purpose of the NDA is to establish and enable a carbon emissions trading regime or carbon market within India. The functions of the NDA include recommending activities for emission reduction unit trading, evaluating and approving projects that reduce carbon emissions, and ensuring alignment with India’s sustainability goals, national priorities, and country-specific criteria.

Notes:
An Assam-based foundation has developed India’s first portal for vulture conservation, called The Vulture Network. The portal was launched on September 2, 2025, by We Foundation India in collaboration with Gauhati University’s Department of Zoology. The portal aims to disseminate information in local languages, starting with Assamese, to educate grassroots communities about vultures’ ecological and economic importance. It is a cloud-based knowledge platform offering scientific information, awareness materials, and downloadable resources for campaigns

Notes:
Recently, conflict between humans and Himalayan brown bears has been rising across the Himalayas. The Himalayan brown bear is also called Himalayan red bear, isabelline bear, or Dzu-Teh and is a subspecies of the brown bear. It is mainly found in northwestern and central Himalayas in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. In India, it is found in small, isolated populations in alpine and subalpine habitats of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) conservation status is Critically Endangered.

Notes:
Udaipur was conferred the prestigious Wetland City Accreditation by the Ramsar Convention on September 9, 2025. The recognition was announced during the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Awards and Wetland Cities Recognition Ceremony 2025, organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The Ramsar Wetland City tag honours cities with exemplary efforts in conserving wetlands, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods. Udaipur, the ‘City of Lakes’, qualified due to community participation, strong conservation practices, and integration of wetlands in urban planning.

Notes:
Critically endangered yellow-crested cockatoos have found refuge in Hong Kong’s urban parks, making up nearly 10% of the global wild population of just 2,000 mature birds. The species is native to Indonesia and East Timor. These snow-white birds with yellow crests now face nesting problems as old trees are lost to typhoons and government trimming. Global threats like illegal pet trade and climate change also worsen their survival. Conservationists in Hong Kong have begun installing artificial nest boxes, with one pair already using them. The project aims to expand to 50 boxes, helping the species survive in the city.

Notes:
King Charles III of the United Kingdom gifted a Burflower tree, also called Kadamb tree, to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday. The gesture was inspired by PM Modi’s Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam initiative, which encourages planting trees in mothers’ names to honour maternal care and support ecological balance. During PM Modi’s UK visit in July 2025, he gifted King Charles a Sonoma tree under the same initiative. The Kadamb tree (Neolamarckia cadamba) is an evergreen tropical tree native to South and Southeast Asia, growing up to 45 meters tall. It is known for fragrant orange flowers that bloom in dense, globe-shaped clusters.