Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) recommended reinstating the Rhesus Macaque under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta) is a species of Old World monkey. It is a brown primate with red face and rear and short hair on its head. It is native to India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Myanmar, Thailand, Afghanistan, Vietnam, and southern China. It inhabits forests, mangroves, grasslands, and mountains, and also thrives near humans. It is categorized as Least Concern under the IUCN Red List.

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Wildlife experts in Uttarakhand recently warned that Himalayan Black Bears (Ursus thibetanus laniger) are becoming aggressive due to erratic weather disrupting their hibernation. It is a subspecies of the Asian Black Bear, also known as the Asiatic Black Bear or Moon Bear. It is mainly found in the Himalayas across India, Nepal, Tibet, Pakistan, and China. It is listed as Vulnerable under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Researchers recently discovered that leaves of the Manchurian walnut tree have strong weed-killing potential. The Manchurian walnut tree is a hardy deciduous tree known for its robust growth and adaptability to different soils. It is naturally found in Manchuria (China), the Korean Peninsula, and Far East Russia. The tree prefers well-drained fertile soils with a neutral pH. It is highly cold-resistant, tolerating frost down to -45 °C. The tree can grow up to 30 meters and has a lifespan of up to 300 years.

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The Finn’s Weaver is silently disappearing from the marshy lowlands of the Terai region in India. Its scientific name is Ploceus megarhynchus and it is also called Finn’s baya or yellow weaver. It is named after Frank Finn, a British officer and bird expert. It is native to the Ganga and Brahmaputra river valleys in India and Nepal. It lives near dams, reservoirs, marshy soil, tall grass, semal and shisham trees. It builds nests on tall grass and trees and feeds mainly on seeds and insects. Its status is Vulnerable as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

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Tamil Nadu has launched one of India’s largest invasive-species eradication campaigns to completely eliminate Senna spectabilis from all forest divisions by March 2026. Senna spectabilis is a fast-growing yellow-flowering tree from the legume family (Fabaceae), originally planted for ornamentation and shade but now categorised as a highly invasive alien species. The species is native to South and Central America, including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, and Venezuela, but has aggressively spread across India. In India, it has heavily invaded forest landscapes in the Nilgiris, Mudumalai, Sathyamangalam, Anaikatty, and other parts of the Western Ghats, threatening native biodiversity.

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A first-of-its-kind study in eastern India tracked a bar-headed goose using a GSM–GPS transmitter, revealing its migration route and flight pattern. The bar-headed goose is a migratory bird known as one of the highest-flying birds in the world. It can fly at altitudes of up to 25,000 feet while crossing the Himalayas, surviving extremely low oxygen levels and freezing temperatures. The species is native to Central Asia, where it breeds, and is found across India, Pakistan, Nepal, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Japan, and nearby regions. In India, its distribution extends from the northeastern region to southern parts of the country. It prefers high-altitude lakes during breeding and freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams during wintering.

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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).

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Forest authorities in Chhattisgarh recently arrested 53 people for attempting to encroach on protected forest land within the Udanti–Sitanadi Tiger Reserve. The Udanti–Sitanadi Tiger Reserve is located in Chhattisgarh and forms a key wildlife conservation zone in central India. The reserve was established by merging two existing protected areas — the Sitanadi and Udanti Wildlife Sanctuaries. The reserve’s drainage network is dominated by the Mahanadi River, which acts as the main river system.

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The rare Sirkeer Malkoha has been recorded for the first time in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. It is usually found in the plains of Uttarakhand, making this sighting significant. Sirkeer Malkoha, also called sirkeer cuckoo, is a unique type of cuckoo bird. It is found across the sub-Himalayan Indian subcontinent, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Rajasthan. It lives in scrublands, thin forests, and hilly areas. The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List classifies it as Least Concern.

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Rapid habitat destruction has forced the arboreal Phayre’s leaf monkey to change its natural behaviour and habits. Phayre’s leaf monkey (Trachypithecus phayrei) is an Old World monkey that is diurnal and tree-dwelling. It lives in tropical, deciduous, and evergreen forests, and is also found in bamboo clusters and rubber plantations. It is distributed in North-East India, mainly Tripura, Assam, and Mizoram, along with eastern Bangladesh and western Myanmar. ts conservation status is Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.