Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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A forest department team recently conducted a raid in the Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary, seizing a large number of deer heads, horns, and animal flesh, and arrested a poacher. Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Kaimur district of Bihar. It lies in the Kaimur Hills range, a region known for its rugged and historically significant terrain. The Kaimur Hills are home to two ancient forts and the Mundeshwari Temple, regarded as one of the oldest Hindu temples in India. It is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Bihar, covering an area of about 1,342 square kilometres.

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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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A new fungus species named Parasynnemellisia khasiana has been discovered in bamboo forests near Mawsynram, Meghalaya. It was found on dead stems of thorny bamboo Chimonocalamus griffithianus. The species is named after the Khasi Hills region. Laboratory studies showed it does not belong to any known fungal genus. Researchers created a new genus called Parasynnemellisia with khasiana as its first species.

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Seven rare galaxy frogs (Melanobatrachus indicus) in Kerala’s Western Ghats have disappeared and are presumed dead after disturbance by wildlife photographers. Photographers overturned logs, trampled vegetation, handled frogs barehanded, and used strong camera flashes. They are endemic to the southern Western Ghats mountain range in India, specifically found in small patches of wet evergreen forests in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The species is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Forest staff at Anamalai Tiger Reserve will use the Monitoring System for Tigers: Intensive Protection and Ecological Status (MSTrIPES) app for wildlife census. MSTrIPES is a software-based system for monitoring and protecting tiger habitats. It was launched in 2010 by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) with the Wildlife Institute of India. It supports wildlife protection, monitoring, and management of Protected Areas. The system has a central desktop and online analysis tool, and an Android mobile application. The mobile app records field observations and patrol tracks using Global Positioning System (GPS).

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The Delhi government stated that more than 6,500 monkeys rescued by civic bodies from residential and commercial areas were shifted to Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary in the last five years. Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary covers about 32.71 square kilometres on the Southern Delhi Ridge of the Aravalli hill range along the Delhi–Haryana border. It extends across southern Delhi and parts of Faridabad and Gurugram districts of Haryana. The sanctuary is part of the Northern Aravalli Leopard Wildlife Corridor.

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Researchers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu discovered two new rare ant fly species from India. The species are Metadon ghorpadei and Metadon reemeri of subfamily Microdontinae (Syrphidae). Their larvae live inside ant nests and feed on ant brood, a behaviour called myrmecophily. Metadon ghorpadei was found in Delhi’s northern ridge, a disturbed urban forest of the Aravalli range. Metadon reemeri was discovered in the Siruvani hills of the Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu. The discovery highlights the biodiversity value of urban forests and protected hotspots.

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The red-eared slider turtle, spread through the pet trade, is threatening freshwater bodies in Coimbatore. It is among the world’s most widely introduced freshwater turtles, found on all continents except Antarctica. This predominantly aquatic species is identified by red stripes behind each ear. It is highly adaptable, survives harsh conditions, and thrives in non-native habitats. It lives 20–50 years in the wild and is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Researchers have discovered a new mushroom species named Hemileccinum indicum in the temperate forests of the Indian Himalayas. The species was found growing under oak (Quercus) trees in Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand. This discovery marks the first-ever record of the genus Hemileccinum in India. The identification was confirmed using multigene molecular phylogenetic analysis, which maps evolutionary relationships through genetic data.

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The Tamsa River, an important tributary of the Ganga River, flows through Ambedkar Nagar, Ayodhya and Azamgarh districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh. In Azamgarh, the river was revitalised under the Namami Gange Programme through coordinated administrative action and strong community participation. A structured plan covered an 89 kilometre stretch across 111 Gram Panchayats, focusing on desilting, garbage removal, and clearing illegal encroachments. Vacant riverbank land was identified and fruit-bearing trees were planted to support ecological restoration and provide economic benefits to Gram Panchayats.