Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Environment recently declared two new Ramsar sites in Rajasthan: Menar in Udaipur and Khichan in Phalodi. Menar is a freshwater monsoon wetland formed by Braham talab, Dhand talab, Kheroda talab, and nearby farmland that floods during monsoon. It supports water birds like the critically endangered white-rumped vulture and long-billed vulture. Khichan in the Thar Desert includes Ratri river and Vijaysagar pond, and supports 150 bird species.

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Recently, the Eurasian otter was spotted in the Kashmir Valley after nearly 30 years. Eurasian otter is also called European otter, common otter, and Old-World otter. It is a semi-aquatic carnivorous mammal native to Eurasia. It has a wide distribution across the Middle-East, Europe, Northern Africa, Eastern Russia, China, and other parts of Asia. In India, it is found in northern, northeastern, and southern regions. In Kashmir, it is locally known as Vuder and was once common in water bodies.

Notes:
Recently, Kerala’s Western Ghats became home to India’s first butterfly sanctuary after the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary in Kannur was renamed as Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary on 18 June 2025 by the Kerala State Wildlife Board. The sanctuary covers 55 square kilometers of tropical and semi-evergreen forests and hosts over 266 species of butterflies, more than 80% of all species in Kerala. Some butterfly species found here are unique or endangered, and between October and February, the sanctuary sees a vibrant butterfly migration, especially of the Common Albatross.

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Recently, Kerala has secured the top spot in the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest for 2020–2025. Kerala scored 76.22% in the very good category. Eravikulam National Park in Kerala and Dachigam National Park in Jammu and Kashmir topped protected areas with an MEE score of 92.97%. Mathikettan Shola National Park and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary ranked fifth and sixth among the top 10. Chandigarh topped among Union Territories with 85.16%.

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Recently, 11 people died and several vehicles fell into the Mahisagar (Mahi) River after the Gambhira-Mujpur bridge collapsed in Padra taluka, Vadodara district, Gujarat. The Mahi River is one of the major west-flowing interstate rivers of India. It flows through Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The river is also known as “Mahisagar” due to its vast size. It originates from the northern slopes of the Vindhya Mountains in Madhya Pradesh at around 500 meters above sea level.

Notes:
Recently, a new species of dragonfly named Lyriothemis abrahami was officially discovered in Kerala, India. It was earlier misidentified as Lyriothemis flava due to similar appearance. It breeds in small water pools inside tree holes, highlighting its forest-dependent nature. It is found in lowland rainforests to mid-elevation evergreen and deciduous forests between 50 m to 1,100 m altitude. This discovery raised Kerala’s total odonate (dragonfly and damselfly) species count to 191, including 78 endemic species. It serves as an indicator of forest health, supporting the need for habitat conservation.

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Recently, two new bush frog species named Raorchestes jadoh and Raorchestes jakoid were discovered in Meghalaya. Raorchestes jadoh is named after “Jadoh”, a traditional rice-and-meat dish of the Khasi community. Raorchestes jakoid is named after the Khasi word “jakoid”, meaning frog. These frogs skip the tadpole stage and hatch directly as miniature adults. Raorchestes jadoh was found in Langtor, Eastern West Khasi Hills, at 1,655 metres above sea level. Raorchestes jakoid was recorded in Lawbah, East Khasi Hills, at 815 metres elevation. The frogs were found in bushes and trees near human settlements, showing ecological adaptability.

Notes:
Recently, a rare orchid species named Chamaegastrodia reiekensis was discovered in Reiek forest, Mizoram by scientists from Mizoram University and Manipur University. The orchid is named after Reiek, a scenic mountain known for rich biodiversity in Northeast India. It belongs to the genus Chamaegastrodia, raising the global count of its species to eight. This is the first record of Chamaegastrodia in Mizoram, reaffirming the region’s biodiversity importance. It was found at 1,500 metres elevation in moist, humus-rich soil near bamboo clumps.

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A rare creature called the Horsehair Worm was recently spotted in the Motidol Beat of the Mohandra Range under the Southern Forest Division of Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. Horsehair worms are also called Gordian worms and belong to the phylum Nematomorpha. This worm looks like a thin, wrinkled, brown or white thread and is often seen in muddy or wet areas, usually in tangled bundles. It is harmless to humans and a sign of healthy biodiversity and ecological balance in Panna forest.

Notes:
Recently, researchers discovered a new palm species named Phoenix roxburghii. It is named after William Roxburgh, known as the father of Indian Botany. The species grows between 12 to 16 metres tall. It is similar to Phoenix sylvestris, but has a taller solitary trunk, larger leaves and leaflets, musty-scented staminate flowers and bigger obovoid orange-yellow fruits. Its distribution is recorded along India’s eastern coast, in Bangladesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Pakistan. The discovery highlights the rich plant diversity of the region.