Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Researchers from Northeast India have described two new freshwater fish species from Nagaland. The species are named Glyptothorax sentimereni and Oreichthys elianae. They were discovered during ichthyological surveys in tributaries of the Brahmaputra River in Mokokchung district, Nagaland. Glyptothorax sentimereni was found in rocky stretches of the Dikhu River and belongs to torrent-dwelling catfishes. Oreichthys elianae was found in a tributary of the Tsurang River.

Notes:
Stenothoe lowryi is a rare shrimp-like marine crustacean recently recorded in India for the first time. It was discovered at Arjyapalli Beach by researchers from Berhampur University, Odisha. Earlier, the species was known only from Malaysia waters. It belongs to family Stenothoidae under the order Amphipoda. Amphipods are small invertebrate crustaceans related to crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. They live in oceans, lakes, rivers, beaches, caves, and moist tropical habitats. The name Amphipoda means “different-footed” because they have different types of legs.

Notes:
Karnataka High Court directed the state government to stop all ground activities inside the Sharavathi Lion-Tailed Macaque Sanctuary and its Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ – Eco-Sensitive Zone). The sanctuary is located in Karnataka and forms part of the Western Ghats. It was created by merging Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Aghanashini Lion-Tailed Macaque Conservation Reserve, and nearby reserve forest areas. It shares its southwestern boundary with Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary. The terrain is highly undulating, with altitude ranging from 94 m to 1102 m.

Notes:
The Western Tragopan has drawn attention due to declining populations in the western Himalayas. It is a rare pheasant species endemic to the Western Himalayas. It is the state bird of Himachal Pradesh and locally called Jujurana meaning “King of Birds.” The bird lives in temperate and subalpine forests with dense undergrowth. It usually occurs at elevations of about 2,400–3,600 metres. Its range includes Uttarakhand, Kashmir, and parts of Pakistan.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
Pakistan ranked as the most polluted country in 2025 as per IQAir report. PM2.5 levels were about 13 times higher than limits set by World Health Organization. Only 13 countries met the WHO safe limit (<5 µg/m³), up from 7 in 2024. 130 out of 143 countries failed to meet WHO air quality standards. Bangladesh and Tajikistan ranked second and third most polluted. Only 14% of global cities met WHO standards, down from 17% in 2024.

Notes:
Around 20,000 eggs of Olive Ridley Turtles have been conserved on Hope Island by authorities at Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary. It is located in Andhra Pradesh, in the Godavari estuary where the Coringa River meets the Bay of Bengal. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1978. It has extensive mangrove and tropical dry deciduous forests, forming the second-largest mangrove stretch in India.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
The Bengal Florican population is rapidly declining due to habitat loss caused by land conversion, agricultural expansion, burning, and fragmentation of grasslands. The Bengal Florican is a medium-sized bustard and an important grassland indicator species, often called the “dancer of the grasslands.” In India, it is found in areas such as Dudhwa National Park, Manas National Park, Kaziranga National Park, Orang National Park, and Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, along with parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The species is classified as Critically Endangered, highlighting its high risk of extinction.

Notes:
Rare sightings of the Woolly-Necked Stork have been reported from paddy fields near Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, indicating suitable wetland habitat conditions. The Woolly-Necked Stork, also called White-necked or Bishop Stork, belongs to the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread tropical species found in Africa and Asia, including India and Indonesia. In India, it is more common in northern regions but now sighted in southern wetlands. It is listed as Near Threatened in International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Conservation status.