Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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A new study revealed that over 60,000 African penguins died from starvation between 2004 and 2011 due to a collapse in sardine stocks. The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is a flightless species adapted to marine life in southern African waters. They live mostly within 40 km of the shore, using coastal habitats for breeding, resting and moulting. Their distribution mainly covers Namibia and South Africa’s Atlantic coast. The species has an average wild lifespan of 20 years. Global warming is severely damaging their marine and coastal habitats. The IUCN lists the African penguin as Critically Endangered.

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Rare migratory Pallas’s Gull (Great Black-headed Gull) was spotted again in Udhwa Bird Sanctuary, Jharkhand after nearly 10 years. It is the world’s largest black-headed gull and the third-largest gull species globally. It breeds in marshes and islands from southern Russia to Mongolia. It migrates in winter to the Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Peninsula, and India. It prefers wetlands, salt lakes, lagoons, and slow-flowing rivers as its habitat. It is classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Chhattisgarh’s Kopra Reservoir in Bilaspur district has been designated a Ramsar Site, becoming the state’s first wetland of international importance. Ramsar Sites are wetlands recognised under the Ramsar Convention, headquartered in Gland, Switzerland. The reservoir has both natural and man-made features and supports irrigation, water security, and diverse bird habitats. The proposal was submitted by the state government last month and approved by the Union government. The recognition will boost eco-tourism, local livelihoods, and awareness about wetland conservation.

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Scientists have expressed concern that Cyclone Senyar may have swept away a significant number of Tapanuli orangutans, raising fears about further population decline of one of the world’s rarest great apes. The Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) is a distinct species of orangutan endemic to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. It is one of only three known orangutan species, the others being the Sumatran orangutan and the Bornean orangutan. The species is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, making it extremely vulnerable to natural disasters such as cyclones.

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Community-led conservation initiatives at Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary have recently succeeded in restoring wild honey bee colonies, leading to improved pollination, healthier forests, and revival of associated wildlife. These efforts highlight the role of local community participation in strengthening ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation within protected areas. Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Kokrajhar and Dhubri districts of Assam. The sanctuary is renowned as the second protected habitat of the endangered golden langur, supporting a population of over 600 individuals, making it ecologically significant at the national level.

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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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Recently, an ultra-rare leopard colour morph was documented in Vijayanagara district of Karnataka, marking the first such sighting in the state and the second in India. The leopard has been named the “Sandalwood Leopard” due to its pale reddish-pink coat resembling sandalwood. The animal is a female leopard (Panthera pardus), around seven years old, seen with a normally coloured cub. Such leopards are globally called “strawberry leopards” and are extremely rare. Globally, this colour morph has been recorded only five times, including one earlier sighting in Rajasthan in 2021.

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Forest staff at Anamalai Tiger Reserve will use the Monitoring System for Tigers: Intensive Protection and Ecological Status (MSTrIPES) app for wildlife census. MSTrIPES is a software-based system for monitoring and protecting tiger habitats. It was launched in 2010 by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) with the Wildlife Institute of India. It supports wildlife protection, monitoring, and management of Protected Areas. The system has a central desktop and online analysis tool, and an Android mobile application. The mobile app records field observations and patrol tracks using Global Positioning System (GPS).

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Recently, the second rangewide survey of riverine and estuarine dolphins in India was launched from Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh under Project Dolphin. The initiative is led by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to strengthen river ecosystem conservation. The survey updates population estimates, assesses habitat conditions, and identifies emerging threats to dolphin species. It is coordinated by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, with State Forest Departments and partners like WWF India, Aaranyak, and Wildlife Trust of India.

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Two tourists from Kerala drowned recently after the frozen surface of Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district cracked beneath them while they were on it. Sela Lake, also called Paradise Lake, is a glacial lake located near Sela Pass in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh. Sela Pass is an important mountain pass connecting the Tawang region with the rest of Arunachal Pradesh. Due to extremely cold temperatures below zero, the lake remains frozen throughout winter. The high altitude results in very limited vegetation around the lake.