Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Recently, scientists discovered a new fungus species named Paramyrothecium strychni in Kerala, India. It belongs to the Ascomycota division and Stachybotryaceae family. The fungus is a phytopathogenic species, meaning it causes diseases in plants. It is associated with leaf spots and blight disease on Strychnos dalzellii (family Loganiaceae). The species was identified using morpho-cultural and multigene molecular phylogenetic studies. According to Index Fungorum, there are 25 known species of Paramyrothecium worldwide. Most Paramyrothecium species are plant pathogens that cause leaf spots and blights in various plants.

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Five beaches in Maharashtra have recently received the international Blue Flag certification. The certified beaches are Shrivardhan and Nagaon in Raigad district, Parnaka in Palghar district, and Guhagar and Ladghar in Ratnagiri district. The announcement was made by Maharashtra Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare. Blue Flag certification is awarded by Denmark’s Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). The certification evaluates 33 criteria related to cleanliness, beauty, and environmental sustainability. The award highlights Maharashtra’s commitment to sustainable and safe beaches.

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The Government of Tuvalu has become the 90th State Member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Tuvalu, formerly the Ellice Islands, is a small island country in the west-central Pacific Ocean. It is the 4th smallest country in the world, covering 26 sq.km, located between Australia and Hawaii. Tuvalu consists of small islands and atolls made of coral reefs and volcanic rock, with no point above 4.5 meters, making it vulnerable to sea-level rise. The capital is Funafuti.

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Chhattisgarh’s Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary successfully revived the blackbuck population nearly 50 years after local extinction. The Chhattisgarh Forest Department launched a five-year reintroduction programme (2021–2026) to restore blackbucks to their natural habitat. 77 blackbucks were translocated: 50 from National Zoological Park, Delhi and 27 from Kanan Pendari Zoological Garden, Bilaspur. From zero population in the 1970s, Barnawapara now has around 190 blackbucks, marking a major success in wildlife conservation.

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A rare Malabar Gliding Frog was recently spotted at Hirebagewadi near Belagavi, Karnataka. Its scientific name is Rhacophorus malabaricus. It is endemic to the rainforests of the Western Ghats in India. The frog lives on tree leaves near streams or riverbanks and breeds on overhanging trees above water bodies. It can glide through the air using the webbing between its toes, leaping up to 9–12 metres, nearly 115 times its body length. It grows up to 10 cm, with males smaller than females. It has a bright green back, pale yellow belly, and orange-red webbed toes. It is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Recently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) adopted Motion 007 on Soil Security Law, the world’s first model legal framework for soil protection. The motion was co-sponsored by Save Soil (Isha Outreach) and the Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies, with support from Aurora, an Australian soil think tank. It marks the first global recognition of soil security as vital for food, water, biodiversity, and climate resilience. IUCN will now form a working group to draft an international convention on soil protection. Sadhguru called it a historic step toward global soil conservation.

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The Forest Department is set to begin the next tiger census in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR). Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) is located in the Nallamala hill ranges, an offshoot of the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh. It is one of India’s largest tiger reserves, covering 3,728 square kilometres. It supports the largest tiger population in the Eastern Ghats landscape. The reserve is named after the Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam Dams. It includes Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary (GBM).

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Pampadum Shola National Park in Kerala’s Southern Western Ghats is witnessing a major ecological revival. The park is successfully removing invasive Australian wattle trees and restoring its native grasslands, streams, and species. It is the smallest national park in Kerala. The park forms the southernmost shola–grassland mosaic in the Western Ghats, older than the Himalayas

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The Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary in Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, has come alive with thousands of migratory birds marking the start of the season. It is one of the oldest bird-protected areas in India and Tamil Nadu. The sanctuary is a freshwater wetland protected by local communities. It is recognized internationally as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) on the Coromandel Coast.

Notes:
Recently, researchers discovered four new lichen species in the Western Ghats, adding to India’s biodiversity records. The new species are Parmotrema sahyadricum from Wayanad, Solenopsora rhizomorpha from Eravikulam and Mathikettanshola National Parks, Buelloa ghattensis from Mathikettanshola National Park, and Pyxine janakiae from the same park. These discoveries were published in international scientific journals.