Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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Pampadum Shola National Park in Kerala’s Southern Western Ghats is witnessing a major ecological revival. The park is successfully removing invasive Australian wattle trees and restoring its native grasslands, streams, and species. It is the smallest national park in Kerala. The park forms the southernmost shola–grassland mosaic in the Western Ghats, older than the Himalayas

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The Supreme Court recently ordered the Jharkhand government to notify the Saranda Forest as a wildlife sanctuary and conservation reserve. The Court also banned all mining activities within a one-kilometre radius of the forest boundary. Saranda, called the “land of seven hundred hills,” is a dense Sal forest in Jharkhand. It lies in the Chhotanagpur bio-geographic zone and connects with forests of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

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Researchers recently confirmed a new species called Lycodon irwini, a glossy-black wolf snake from Great Nicobar Island, giving fresh importance to India’s biodiversity studies. It was discovered on the remote southern tip of the Nicobar Islands and belongs to the Lycodon subcinctus group. It is named after Australian conservationist Stephen Robert Irwin. It stayed unidentified for years because it closely resembled a widespread species. It has a uniform glossy-black colour, unlike relatives with white bands.

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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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Telangana’s Mulugu forest officials are launching safari services for the first time inside Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary to promote eco-tourism and sustainable livelihoods. Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the state of Telangana. The sanctuary was established in 1952 and covers an area of approximately 812 square kilometres. It is divided into two parts by a stream known as Dayyam Vagu. The Godavari River flows through the sanctuary, supporting rich biodiversity.

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Researchers have recently discovered three previously unknown moth species in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas. The newly identified species are Gelechia bilobuncusa, Gelechia adi, and Istrianis ladakhensis. Gelechia bilobuncusa was found in Himachal Pradesh and is named after the bilobed shape of its uncus, a part of the male genitalia. Gelechia adi was discovered in the Ramsing area of Arunachal Pradesh and is named in honour of the local Adi tribe of the Upper Siang district. Istrianis ladakhensis is named after its type locality in Ladakh and is adapted to the high-altitude environment.

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A viral video of a Himalayan red fox near Pangong Tso in Ladakh has drawn attention, while wildlife officials warned against human interference. The Himalayan red fox is a subspecies of the red fox with the scientific name Vulpes vulpes montana. It is native to the Himalayan region across India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. In India, it is found in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. It lives at high altitudes between 2,500 and 5,000 metres in diverse habitats. Its conservation status under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List is Least Concern.

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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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A new conservation project has been approved to protect breeding habitats of sandbar-nesting birds in the Ganga basin, focusing on endangered species like the Indian Skimmer. The Indian Skimmer (also called Indian Scissors-bill) is a distinctive waterbird native to southern Asia. It is one of only three skimmer species worldwide. It is found across India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar, with Nepal as a non-breeding visitor. The species is endangered and relies on sandbar habitats for breeding, making protection of these areas crucial for its survival.

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A powerful winter storm rapidly intensified into a bomb cyclone named Winter Storm Ezra across the United States of America (USA). More than 58 million people were under winter storm warnings, with blizzards, strong winds, and power outages. A bomb cyclone forms when atmospheric pressure drops sharply within 24 hours, causing extreme weather. Authorities warned against travel as hazardous conditions continue moving eastward.