Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), headquartered in Chennai, sanctioned ₹82 lakh to the Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board for Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) conservation. The initiative aims to raise 1 lakh Red Sanders saplings to supply farmers, supporting the Trees Outside Forests (ToF) programme. Red Sanders, native to Southern Eastern Ghats (Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool), faces threats from smuggling due to high commercial value. The species is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

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Researchers recently discovered two new antlion species – Indophanes keralaensis and Indophanes sahyadriensis – from the family Myrmeleontidae under the order Neuroptera. The first species, Indophanes keralaensis, was found in Sairandhri, Siruvani (Palakkad) and Pampadum Shola National Park (Idukki). The second species, Indophanes sahyadriensis, was recorded in Siruvani (Palakkad), Pakshipathalam, Thirunelly (Wayanad), and Ranipuram (Kasaragod). The genus Indophanes now has 11 species worldwide and five in India, with three in Kerala. Kerala now records 12 antlion species, and India has 110 species.

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Goa’s State Board for Wildlife recommended that the proposal for iron ore handling at Kalem railway station in Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary be placed before the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary is located in eastern Goa near Mollem village. It lies in the foothills of the Western Ghats. It was earlier called Mollem Game Sanctuary and declared a sanctuary in 1969. Later it was renamed Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary.

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed the formation of Cyclone Shakhti on October 3, 2025, over the northeast Arabian Sea. The cyclone was named by Sri Lanka. Fishermen advised not to venture into northwest, northeast, and central Arabian Sea, and Gujarat–north Maharashtra coasts during October 3–6. Cyclone Shakhti highlights warming Arabian Sea, causing rapid intensification like Cyclones Tauktae (2021) and Biparjoy (2023).

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Researchers recently discovered a new fungus species named Bridgeoporus kanadii in the forests of Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India. It has exceptionally large fruiting bodies, some measuring over three meters in radius, strong enough to hold a person’s weight. The species is named after Indian mycologist Kanad Das for his work on Indian macrofungi. The only other known species, Bridgeoporus nobilissimus, found in North America, has fruiting bodies up to 1.5 meters, making B. kanadii nearly twice as large. It grows mainly on dead fir trees and helps in forest regeneration by decomposing dead wood. It is inedible and has no direct economic value.

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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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The Madras High Court recently ordered action against illegal resorts and tourist lodges within the prohibited zone of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve is located in the Erode District of Tamil Nadu. It lies at the junction of the Eastern and Western Ghats within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The reserve covers an area of over 1,400 square kilometres. It connects with Mudumalai, Bandipur, and Biligiri Ranganatha (BR) Tiger Reserves, forming a large tiger landscape.

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An international bird-watching programme was recently held in the Rakchham area of the Rakchham-Chitkul Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh. The sanctuary is located in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, covering 30.98 sq.km and situated at an altitude of 3200–5486 meters in the Western Himalayan range. It is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, green valleys, and rivers, and includes trekking routes like the Lamkhanga Pass connecting Kinnaur to Gangotri in Uttarakhand. The sanctuary is in a dry zone and does not experience monsoons.

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The spotted deer population is declining rapidly in the Konark-Balukhand Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha. The sanctuary is located in Puri district, Odisha and was declared on 23 April 1984. It covers a sandy coastal tract between Puri and Konark, planted with casuarina and cashew trees. Spotted deer is the most common deer species in Indian forests. It is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Kashmir’s first Chrysanthemum garden has recently been opened for tourists. Chrysanthemum is a genus of about 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Asia and northeastern Europe and blooms in autumn. The plant grows 50–150 cm tall with deeply lobed leaves and large flowerheads in white, yellow, or pink. It thrives in subtropical and temperate areas with tropical and subtropical climate.