Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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Saxifraga candelabrum is an alpine plant species native to the high-altitude regions of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and the Hengduan Mountains in China. It typically thrives at elevations above 2,500 meters in alpine scree and meadows. A landmark scientific study published in 2026 officially confirmed this species as carnivorous. It utilizes its reddish sticky glandular hairs present on its stems and branches to trap small insects. This geographical region’s nutrient-poor soils are believed to have driven the evolutionary adaptation of carnivory in this alpine species.

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India hosted the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, preceded by the BRICS Senior Officers’ Meeting. The meeting was held under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 theme: “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” India has identified four priority areas: Sustainable Lifestyles; Afforestation, Forest Fire Management and Disaster Resilience; Circular Economy; and Adaptation. The meeting aims to strengthen environmental cooperation, consensus-building and collective action among BRICS countries.

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Hurricane Lala, a Category 1 tropical cyclone, struck Hawaii’s Big Island, bringing strong winds and torrential rainfall. The storm became the third-wettest tropical cyclone to affect the U.S. state of Hawaii, causing severe flooding and mudslides. Lala produced rainfall of up to 63 cm, while maximum sustained winds reached around 120 km/h. The event was particularly significant as it marked the first direct hurricane strike on the Big Island in more than 150 years.

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The Goa–Karnataka Mahadayi River water dispute remains unresolved in August 2026, with Goa opposing any out-of-court settlement. The Mahadayi River, also known as Mandovi or Mhadei, is a rain-fed river shared by Karnataka and Goa for their water needs. It originates from Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, flows briefly through Maharashtra, and then enters Goa, where it empties into the Arabian Sea at Panaji.

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Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam recorded the first-ever sighting of the rare migratory Smew (Mergellus albellus). Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary covers about 70.13 sq km and is located on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra River in Nagaon district, Assam. It forms part of the Laokhowa–Burhachapori ecosystem and is a notified buffer of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. The sanctuary supports more than 225 bird species and diverse wildlife, including the greater one-horned rhinoceros, elephant, Royal Bengal tiger and Asiatic water buffalo.

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216 rescued Indian Star Tortoises from Mumbai and Thane were successfully rehabilitated and released into the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), Maharashtra. The initiative marks the launch of Project STRIPES — Star Tortoise Repatriation Initiative Protecting Endangered Species. The Indian Star Tortoise is a medium-sized terrestrial tortoise, named after the distinctive star-like patterns on its shell, which also provide camouflage. The IUCN Red List status is Vulnerable.

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Nandankanan Zoological Park is located in the Khordha district of Odisha, near the capital city of Bhubaneswar. Established in 1960, it lies in the immediate vicinity of the Kanjia lake. It is renowned for being the first zoo in India to join the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). The zoo recently made headlines when five non-native, trafficked orangutans rescued by forest officials in Odisha were shifted to this facility for quarantine and specialized veterinary care.

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Researchers from Ravenshaw University and Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Netherlands have identified a new species of tiny bivalve from Odisha. The new species has been named Deltachion ravenshaw (D. ravenshaw). The species was named after Ravenshaw University in recognition of its role in the research. It belongs to the Donacidae family of bivalves, generally found in shallow, sandy marine habitats. The species was discovered during a macrobenthic survey at Astaranga, near the mouth of the Devi River in Puri. It was found in the sandy intertidal stretches of the Devi estuary.

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The black robin, also known as karure or Chatham Island black robin, has been named New Zealand’s Bird of the Year 2026. It received more than 25,000 votes, finishing ahead of the kākāpō and kārearea (New Zealand falcon). More than 105,000 people participated in the 2026 competition. The black robin is naturally found only in the Chatham Islands, around 800 km east of mainland New Zealand. The species faced an extreme population decline and was reduced to just five birds by 1980, including only one fertile female named Old Blue. Conservationists used intensive breeding programmes and even employed Chatham Island tits as foster parents to help raise black robin chicks.

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Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh inaugurated a newly constructed River Front Garden along the Nambul River in Imphal. The programme aims to clean and rejuvenate the Nambul River and improve its ecological health. Nambul River is located in Manipur and flows through Imphal. It is an important tributary of Loktak Lake. The river ultimately contributes its water to Loktak Lake, making its ecological health important for the lake ecosystem.