Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
A rare snake species, Ahaetulla longirostris (long-snouted vine snake), was discovered in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh. It was found during a rhino shifting operation in the Palia division of the reserve. Previously, this snake was only recorded in Valmiki Tiger Reserve, West Champaran, Bihar. It has a long, slender body with green or brown coloration, helping it blend into trees. Its distinct long nose (rostral) is a key identification feature. It primarily lives on trees and hides among branches. It is mildly venomous, but its poison is not dangerous to humans.

Notes:
Delhi’s forest and wildlife department will install 45 motion-based camera traps in Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary to monitor and collect data on wildlife. Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary is in the South Delhi Ridge of the Aravalli hill range, on the Delhi-Haryana border. It forms part of the Southern Ridge and connects with the Indo-Gangetic Plain, making it rich in biodiversity. The sanctuary is a key segment of the North Aravalli Leopard Wildlife Corridor, which begins at Sariska National Park in Rajasthan, passes through Haryana districts, and reaches the Delhi Ridge.

Notes:
Citizens and environmentalists launched the ‘Save Bandipur’ protest in Karnataka after reports that the government may lift the night traffic ban on National Highway 766 (NH-766), which passes through Bandipur National Park. Bandipur National Park is a protected forest and tiger reserve located in Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka. It was first set up in 1931 as Venugopala Wildlife Park by the Maharaja of Mysore, covering 90 square kilometers. It became a Tiger Reserve in 1973 under Project Tiger and joined the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986 due to its rich biodiversity and ecological importance.

Notes:
A degraded area called the Polo Ground inside Guindy National Park is being restored to support wildlife, especially blackbucks. Guindy National Park is a rare protected urban area located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It is home to spotted deer and blackbucks, which rely on open grasslands to survive. Restoration work includes removing invasives, planting seven native grass species, and adding legume plants to improve soil health.

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Recently, bioluminescent blue waves appeared in the backwaters of Kochi, Kerala, drawing tourists but causing concerns about environmental degradation among ecologists and fishers. Bioluminescence is the natural light produced by organisms like bacteria, fungi, and algae when coastal waters are disturbed. The main cause of this glow is Noctiluca scintillans, a type of plankton known as “sea sparkle”. This glow happens due to chemical reactions in parts called scintillons, and it is usually blue but can appear red or brown depending on the plankton’s concentration. The phenomenon is most commonly seen between March and May, known locally as “Kavaru” in Malayalam.

Notes:
Work has begun to revive the historic Ramgarh Lake near Jaipur, Rajasthan, which once served as the main water source for the city. The lake, built in 1876 by Sawai Ram Singh II, is a man-made water body created by constructing an embankment on forested hills. Four rivers — Roda, Banganga, Tala, and Madhoveni — once fed the lake but have dried due to deforestation and mining. Ramgarh Lake hosted rowing events in the 1982 Asian Games, and houses Jamwa Mata temple nearby. It also has a renowned Polo Ground and is part of a wildlife sanctuary notified in 1982, home to animals like Nilgai, Chital, and lions.

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Asiatic lions, also called Persian Lions or Indian Lions, belong to the subspecies Panthera leo persica and are found only in India, mainly in Gir National Park, Gujarat. Once spread across West Asia and the Middle East, they are now extinct outside India, making Gir their last home. As per the 2020 lion census by the Gujarat Forest Department, there are 674 lions across 30,000 sq km in nine districts and 53 talukas of Saurashtra. Lions are now moving beyond Gir, even reaching Diu Island, showing healthy range expansion. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed them as Endangered since 2008, improved from Critically Endangered in the 1990s due to successful conservation.

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Forest fires recently broke out in Phawngpui National Park in Mizoram, damaging nearly one-ninth of its total area, according to state forest officials. Phawngpui National Park, also called the Blue Mountain National Park, is in the southeastern corner of Mizoram, close to the India-Myanmar border. It is the highest peak in Mizoram, with an altitude of 2,157 meters above sea level. The park covers 50 square kilometres, overlooks the Chhimtuipui River, and offers views of Myanmar’s hill ranges.

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A new frog species named Leptobrachium aryatium was discovered in Garbhanga Reserve Forest near Guwahati, Assam, after a 21-year-long study. It was first studied in 2004 but misidentified as Leptobrachium smithi. The discovery site lies near Deepor Beel, a Ramsar wetland site, and is part of the Garbhanga-Rani-Deepar Beel elephant corridor. The species was named after Arya Vidyapeeth College, which helped transform the local area from a liquor brewing zone to an educational hub. The frog has orange-and-black eyes, a reticulated throat, and makes rhythmic dusk-time calls. Its identification was confirmed through morphology, DNA analysis, and bioacoustics.

Notes:
The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) has officially signed an agreement with the Government of India to set up its headquarters and secretariat in India. IBCA was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2023 during the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger. It was formally approved by the Union Cabinet in February 2024. IBCA is implemented by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The alliance aims to protect seven major big cat species: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Puma, Jaguar, and Cheetah.