Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Amid controversy over reducing its boundary, the Forest Minister recently visited Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary to assess the situation. The sanctuary is located in Shimoga (Shivamogga) district of Karnataka and covers about 395.6 square kilometres. The Tunga Anicut Dam lies within the sanctuary and supports otters and several water bird species. Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary is part of Shettihalli and is a major bird nesting site on an island in the Tunga River. The area has tropical evergreen, semi-evergreen, dry deciduous, and moist deciduous forests.

Notes:
Scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) discovered a new flowering plant species named Dicliptera pakhalica. The discovery was made in Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary located in Warangal district of Telangana. The sanctuary is dominated by mixed deciduous forest vegetation. The area has rich plant diversity including bamboo and teak trees.

Notes:
Researchers discovered a new plant species named Tetrataenium paikadae in the high-altitude grasslands of Idukki district, Kerala. It was found inside Eravikulam National Park in the Western Ghats. The plant belongs to the Apiaceae family, which includes common plants like carrot and coriander. It grows in moist, marshy grasslands at elevations of 1,000 to 2,500 metres above sea level. It was identified as a new species based on the unique number and arrangement of oil tubes in its fruits.

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Scientists from the ICAR-Directorate of Floricultural Research have discovered a new species of blossom midge named Contarinia icardiflores. Contarinia icardiflores is a newly identified species belonging to the genus Contarinia, whose members are small insects recognized as serious pests of ornamental and food crops worldwide. The larvae of this species feed inside flower buds or blossoms, often leading to severe yield losses in agricultural and horticultural crops. The species has been named in honour of ICAR-DFR to acknowledge the institute’s significant contributions to floriculture research.

Notes:
Two Maoists were killed in an encounter in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh during an anti-Naxal operation along the Indravati river belt. Indravati River is a major tributary of the Godavari River. It rises from Kalahandi district of Odisha on the western slopes of the Eastern Ghats. It flows westwards and joins the Godavari River, forming boundary between Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh at some places. Most of its 535 kilometre course flows through dense forests of Bastar district in Chhattisgarh. It is called the lifeline of Bastar, one of the greenest districts of India.

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Residents of Mudh village in Ladakh have protected the Ruddy Shelduck for over 20 years by safely escorting fledglings to the Indus River during breeding season. Ruddy Shelduck, also called Brahminy duck, is a large migratory water bird found in Europe, Central Asia and Africa, and winters in South Asia. In India, Ladakh is its only breeding site, nesting in high altitude wetlands from June to August. It lives in rivers, lakes, marshes, ponds and reservoirs from sea level up to 4,800 metres. It is listed as Least Concern by International Union for Conservation of Nature.

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The Wildlife Wing of the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department recently recorded sambar deer in high-altitude protected areas of Chamba district using camera traps for the first time. Sambar deer is a large deer species native to the Indian subcontinent, southern China and Southeast Asia. It is naturally found in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, the Philippines, China, Taiwan, Borneo, Malaysia, Sumatra and Java. The species lives mainly in forested hills, thick forests, swamp forests and open scrublands, often near cultivated areas. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, its conservation status is Vulnerable.

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A rare sighting of the Blue-and-White Flycatcher was recently reported at Pavagadh Hills, Gujarat. It is a small migratory songbird belonging to the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It mainly breeds in Japan, Korea, northeastern China, and the Russian Far East. During winter it migrates to Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Sumatra, and Borneo. It prefers wooded lowlands, submontane forests, taiga, slopes and gullies up to about 1200 metres, and also occurs in scrub, bushes and plantations. Conservation status in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List is Least Concern.

Notes:
Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Madhya Pradesh and spans across three districts—Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur. It covers about 1187 square kilometres, making it the largest wildlife sanctuary in the state. The sanctuary lies on a plateau in the Upper Vindhyan Range, providing suitable habitat for wildlife. It functions as an ecological corridor linking Panna Tiger Reserve, Satpura Tiger Reserve, and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. The region belongs to the Deccan Peninsula biogeographic zone, supporting diverse forests and fauna. It is planned to receive cheetahs soon under India’s cheetah reintroduction efforts to expand suitable habitats for the species

Notes:
Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered nine new species during a faunal survey in Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. It is located in Tamil Nadu. It is part of the Western Ghats, a global biodiversity hotspot with rich wildlife diversity. The area supports many plants and animals, from shrubs and trees to mammals, birds, and insects.