Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The rare European bird Ortolan Bunting was recently spotted at Baruipur, West Bengal, marking only its second sighting in Bengal. It is a small Palearctic migrant songbird that travels long distances during migration. It is found across Europe, extending east to Mongolia and north to the Arctic Circle. It lives in open cultivated or uncultivated areas with few trees and completely avoids forests. The oceanic climate does not suit it. Its conservation status is Least Concern under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

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Around 100 wild boars were found dead in Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary in March, likely due to toxic waste contamination in Nangal Lake. Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the foothills of the Shivalik Hills, Rupnagar district, Punjab. The sanctuary covers 116 hectares and is part of the Nangal Wetland on the Sutlej River. It lies within a man-made reservoir built under the Bhakra-Nangal Project.

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Recently, village hunters near Palamau Tiger Reserve surrendered their weapons, including guns and traps, during Wildlife Week celebrations. Palamau Tiger Reserve is located on the western side of Latehar district on the Chhotanagpur Plateau in Jharkhand. It forms part of the Betla National Park and covers an area of about 1,026 square kilometres. It is one of the first nine tiger reserves created in India under Project Tiger. It was the first reserve in the world to conduct a tiger census using pugmark count in 1932 under J.W. Nicholson.

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Researchers recently discovered a new plant species named Tetrataenium manilalianum, adding to the biodiversity of the Western Ghats. It belongs to the carrot family (Umbelliferae/Apiaceae). The species was found in Eravikulam National Park, located in Idukki district of Kerala. It was named in honour of Prof. K.S. Manilal, founder president of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy. The plant grows in grasslands bordering shola forests at high altitudes. It is the first of its kind identified globally and the 48th species in the carrot family. It bears white flowers, has underground rhizomes, and blooms during the monsoon.

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The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has recently released funds to Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) in Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim. NBA is a statutory and autonomous body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). It was established in 2003 under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. The headquarters of NBA is located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. NBA performs facilitative, regulatory, and advisory functions for the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources. It also ensures fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use.

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Recently, Goa’s only zoo inside Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary is set to welcome new animals after 12 years — a barking deer and a pair of sloth bears. Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the northeastern part of Goa. It was established as a refuge for orphaned and injured animals. It has moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests with cane along streams.

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Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have recently discovered a new species of slender gecko named Hemiphyllodactylus venkatadri. It was found in the Tirumala hill ranges within the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve in Andhra Pradesh. The species is named after the sacred Venkatadri Hills. It belongs to the genus Hemiphyllodactylus and is the second slender gecko species recorded from Andhra Pradesh, after Hemiphyllodactylus arakuensis. The Venkatadri slender gecko is small, growing just over 2 inches long. It has short limbs and distinctive “spurs” at the base of its tail.

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A photographer in Spain recently spotted the world’s first-ever white Iberian lynx, a rare sighting. The Iberian lynx is a carnivorous species endemic to Europe. It is one of the world’s most endangered wild cats, recognized by its pointy ears, long legs, and spotted fur. It is nocturnal, mainly hunting rabbits, its primary prey. It is found only in southwest Spain on the Iberian Peninsula, west of the Pyrenees.

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Seven countries have received $5.8 million from the Kunming Biodiversity Fund to promote nature-friendly agriculture. The seven countries are Cook Islands, Madagascar, Mexico, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Uganda. It is a Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) launched in 2021 during Part 1 of COP 15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It aims to support the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) at all governance levels.

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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.