Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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Rapid habitat destruction has forced the arboreal Phayre’s leaf monkey to change its natural behaviour and habits. Phayre’s leaf monkey (Trachypithecus phayrei) is an Old World monkey that is diurnal and tree-dwelling. It lives in tropical, deciduous, and evergreen forests, and is also found in bamboo clusters and rubber plantations. It is distributed in North-East India, mainly Tripura, Assam, and Mizoram, along with eastern Bangladesh and western Myanmar. ts conservation status is Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

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The Chadar trek on the frozen Zanskar River in Ladakh was postponed due to weak ice formation, disappointing adventure tourists. The Zanskar River is a major left-bank tributary of the Indus River and flows entirely within the Union Territory of Ladakh. It drains the remote and cold Zanskar Valley in the north-western Himalayas. The river originates at high Himalayan ranges from two main branches. One branch is the Doda River, rising near Pansi La Pass. The other branch forms from the Kargyag River near Shingo La and the Tsarap River near Baralacha La. It flows north-west and joins the Indus River near Nimmu at about 3,100 metres elevation.

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Researchers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu discovered two new rare ant fly species from India. The species are Metadon ghorpadei and Metadon reemeri of subfamily Microdontinae (Syrphidae). Their larvae live inside ant nests and feed on ant brood, a behaviour called myrmecophily. Metadon ghorpadei was found in Delhi’s northern ridge, a disturbed urban forest of the Aravalli range. Metadon reemeri was discovered in the Siruvani hills of the Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu. The discovery highlights the biodiversity value of urban forests and protected hotspots.

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For the first time, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has started a study on the Madras Hedgehog in the Theri forests. Madras Hedgehog, locally called Mulleli, is a small mammal also known as the bare-bellied hedgehog, discovered in 1851. It has sharp spines on the back and soft white fur on the belly, using spines for protection from predators. It is nocturnal, curls into a ball for defence, and survives in dry and harsh landscapes. It inhabits dry scrublands, thorn forests, grasslands, and farmland edges. The species is endemic to peninsular India, found in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of Karnataka.

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The Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary in Nuapada district, Odisha was declared Maoist-free in January 2026, enabling improved wildlife monitoring and conservation activities. In the All-India Tiger Estimation exercise (data yet to be officially released), authorities estimate over 70 leopards, with 90% camera traps capturing leopard images. Nuapada district regularly reports human–leopard conflict, supporting evidence of a strong leopard presence. Reduced Maoist activity enabled camera trap installation across all sanctuary sectors for the first time.

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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.

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Recently, researchers from Karnataka and Odisha discovered two new species of army ants, Aenictus chittoorensis and Aenictus lankamallensis, in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh. Army ants are nomadic ant species that do not build permanent nests and belong to the subfamily Dorylinae. They are highly aggressive predators primarily found in tropical ecosystems. Instead of constructing fixed nests, they form temporary living structures called bivouacs, which are made entirely from the interlinked bodies of worker ants. Army ants are social insects that live in massive colonies and carry out highly coordinated group raids, preying on insects and small animals.

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Researchers discovered a new tiny crab species named Galathea balasubramaniani from coral reefs of Agatti in Lakshadweep Islands. It belongs to genus Galathea, a group of small reef-dwelling anomuran crabs called squat lobsters. These crabs look like tiny lobsters and hide in coral and rocky crevices. It measures only about 3 millimetres, making it one of the smallest reef crabs in the region. It plays a key ecological role by recycling organic matter and serving as food for fish and other marine life.

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New aquaculture tanks were reportedly dug inside Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary after illegal tanks were earlier demolished following Supreme Court orders. Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary is located in West Godavari and Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh. It was established under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It covers about 308 square kilometre of wetlands and marshes. It protects Kolleru Lake, declared a Ramsar Site of International Importance in 2002. Lake receives water from Budameru and Tammileru rivers and 67 drains linked to Krishna and Godavari river systems.

Notes:
Botanists discovered a new flowering plant species named Impatiens nagorum from Northeast India. It was found in Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary in Nagaland. The name “nagorum” honours the Naga tribes of the state. Impatiens, commonly called balsams or “touch-me-nots,” are known for bright flowers and seed pods that burst when touched. The Eastern Himalayas and Northeast India are global hotspots for this plant group. It grows in moist temperate broadleaf forests and is known only from its original discovery site. It has purple flowers, serrated leaves, slightly hairy lateral sepals, and a deep lower sepal forming a hooked spur.