Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched the PaleoIndia Portal. It is a digital platform developed jointly by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Chennai, using Geological Survey of India (GSI) geological maps. The portal documents fossil fauna from all 28 States and 8 Union Territories. It contains information on fossils of mammals, reptiles, birds, fishes, amphibians, molluscs, arthropods, foraminifera, echinoderms, and ichnofossils.

Notes:
The Indian Giant Flying Squirrel was recently spotted in Ramnagar forests, Uttarakhand, for the first time in nearly 12 years. It is a nocturnal, arboreal rodent belonging to the Sciuridae (squirrel) family. It glides between trees using a patagium (skin membrane) stretched between its front and hind limbs. It is found in South and Southeast Asia, inhabiting dry deciduous and evergreen forests, mainly at higher elevations. The IUCN Red List status of the Indian Giant Flying Squirrel is Least Concern.

Notes:
Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran, Bihar, has emerged as one of the state’s richest reptile habitats, with more than 45 snake species recorded. It is located along the India–Nepal border and is Bihar’s only tiger reserve. The reserve comprises Valmiki National Park and Valmiki Wildlife Sanctuary. It represents the easternmost limit of the Himalayan Terai forests in India.

Notes:
Severe environmental degradation has been reported along the Ayad River in Udaipur, Rajasthan, due to pollution, concretisation, and inadequate waste management. The Ayad River, also known as the Ahar River, originates in the Gogunda Hills of north-west Udaipur district. It flows through Udaipur city, receives water from Lake Pichola and Fateh Sagar Lake, and feeds Udaisagar Lake. The river is seasonal, with about 90% of its rainfall received during the southwest monsoon.

Notes:
Researchers have confirmed the discovery of Colobus congoensis, a new species of African monkey, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It was found in the rainforests between the Lomami and Congo (Lualaba) rivers. Locally known as the Likweli, it is only the fifth new monkey species discovered in Africa in the last 75 years. The species is distinguished by its glossy black coat, orange-cream facial markings, long tail, and roaring call. Due to its restricted range, small population, hunting, and habitat loss, researchers have recommended its classification as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Notes:
The Supreme Court directed that preventive detention orders may be used against those facilitating illegal sand mining around the National Chambal Sanctuary. National Chambal Sanctuary is also known as the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary. It is a tri-state protected riverine sanctuary along the Chambal River. It is located at the tri-junction of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The sanctuary primarily protects the critically endangered Gharial, Red-crowned Roof Turtle, and the endangered Ganges River Dolphin.

Notes:
Recently, camera-trap evidence confirmed the return of the Dhole (Asiatic wild dog) to Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary. Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Udalguri and Baksa districts of Assam. It lies in the eastern Himalayan foothills and shares the India–Bhutan international border. The sanctuary is named after the Bornadi River, which forms its western boundary. The Nalapara River, originating in Bhutan, flows along the sanctuary’s eastern boundary.

Notes:
24 fishermen were recently arrested for illegal fishing inside Nalabana Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha. Nalabana is located in Odisha. It is the core area of Chilika Lake, a Ramsar Site. It was declared a bird sanctuary in 1987 due to its rich bird diversity. The sanctuary hosts around 60% of the migratory birds visiting Chilika every year. It is home to rare species such as the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Asian Dowitcher, and Pallas’s Fish Eagle. During the monsoon, the sanctuary remains almost completely submerged.

Notes:
Researchers discovered a new freshwater shrimp species, Caridina sharmai, in the Gomti River near Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. This is the first recorded species of its kind from the Lucknow region. It is identified by its unique tail structure and brush-like hairs on its front legs, which help it feed on algae. In the wild, it is dark brown or black with yellowish-grey stripes, but in aquariums it gradually becomes almost transparent.

Notes:
Scientists discovered a new species of blind, blood-red eel named Rakthamichthys anchi in Goalpara district, Assam. The species was found in dug-out groundwater wells and is phreatobitic, living exclusively in groundwater aquifers. The eel is blind and lacks body pigment; its blood-red colour is due to visible blood vessels beneath transparent skin. The word “anchi” means “blood” in the Garo language. Rakthamichthys is an endemic Indian genus of swamp eels. Rakthamichthys anchi is the second species of the genus discovered in Northeast India.