Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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A new parasitic wasp species Chelonus (Carinichelonus) mahadeb has been recently recorded from Nahortoli Tea Estate in Assam. It belongs to the genus Chelonus, whose members are very tiny parasitic wasps but play an important ecological role in insect population control. The discovery is significant because the subgenus Carinichelonus is extremely rare and poorly documented worldwide. This species is only the second newly described species of the subgenus Carinichelonus from India in recent times, making the finding scientifically important.

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Researchers in Silent Valley National Park discovered a freshwater crab species Vela carli showing both male and female traits at the same time. Vela carli is an endemic species found only in the forests and streams of the Central Western Ghats. It belongs to the family Gecarcinucidae, which includes freshwater crabs. The crab showed gynandromorphy, a rare condition where an organism has both male and female characteristics. Its body had male reproductive structures along with female features like gonopores. This phenomenon is extremely rare in crustaceans and has never been reported earlier in the Gecarcinucidae family.

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Researchers discovered two ancient petroglyphs near Beerappa Temple in Manchirevula, Telangana, inside a rock shelter. Petroglyphs are rock engravings made by removing surface material using techniques like pecking, incising, drilling, and polishing. They differ from petrographs, which are painted or drawn images on rocks. The term comes from Greek words “petros” (stone) and “glyphein” (to carve). Petroglyphs appear as scratches or deep carvings and are linked to prehistoric human activity. They are found worldwide except Antarctica, with major presence in Africa, Americas, Europe, Siberia, and Australia. In India, Edakkal Caves in Kerala is a famous example.

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Scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) discovered a new wild kiwi species, Actinidia indica, in Arunachal Pradesh. The species is found only in a limited area near Ziro Valley, growing in a transition zone between temperate and subtropical forests. It is a perennial climbing shrub with hairy young branches, large ovate leaves, and white to creamy flowers. The plant produces olive-green globose fruits with a unique reticulate lenticel pattern, which helps in its identification. This discovery adds to the global diversity of Actinidia species, of which only a few are found in India.

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A pair of Shaheen Falcon was recently found nesting in a multi-storey residential complex in Kochi, highlighting its adaptability to urban environments. The Shaheen Falcon (Falco peregrinus peregrinator) is a non-migratory subspecies of the Peregrine Falcon found mainly in the Indian subcontinent. It is found across India and also reported in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. It is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Zoological Survey of India recently discovered a new marine crab species named Chhapgarus ngankeeae from the mangroves of Goa. The species is named in honour of the late Ngan Kee Ng, a noted marine biologist from the National University of Singapore. It is found in muddy intertidal mangrove forests along the west coast of India. Mangrove crabs, including Chhapgarus ngankeeae, play an important ecological role by recycling nutrients and supporting coastal food chains.

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The Hudsonian godwit population has declined by 95% in the last four decades due to environmental changes. It is a large migratory shorebird belonging to the sandpiper family Scolopacidae. It breeds in sub-Arctic and Boreal wetland habitats like sedge meadows and muskeg. It is found mainly in North America and South America. It feeds on insects and crustaceans in shallow water. It migrates annually from the Arctic to Patagonia for the southern summer. Major threats include habitat loss and climate change. It is classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

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The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has designated the Bhavasagara Referral Centre as a National Repository for Deep-Sea Fauna under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. The centre is located at the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology in Kochi and functions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. It will act as a national facility for preserving, studying, and documenting India’s deep-sea biodiversity. The initiative strengthens India’s focus on the blue economy and marine biodiversity conservation.

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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) dismissed a plea against the Musi Riverfront Development Project, clearing a key legal hurdle. The project aims to rejuvenate the polluted Musi River and develop it into an ecological, mobility, heritage, and economic corridor. The Musi River (also called Muchukunda) is a left-bank tributary of the Krishna River. It originates from Anantagiri Hills near Vikarabad and is formed by the confluence of Musa and Esi streams.

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The Supreme Court of India stayed a Rajasthan government notification that had altered the boundaries of the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary, which had freed 732 hectares along the Chambal River. The Chambal River is a perennial river originating from Janapav Hills, south of Mhow town near Indore, along the southern slopes of the Vindhya Range in Madhya Pradesh. It flows in a north-northeasterly direction through Madhya Pradesh, passes through Rajasthan briefly, forms part of the boundary between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, and then turns southeast to join the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh.