Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Barda Wildlife Sanctuary is being developed as a second habitat for the Asiatic Lion to reduce extinction risks associated with concentrating the entire wild population in Gir Forest. The sanctuary is located in the Barda Hills near Porbandar in Gujarat. Historically, it served as a private hunting ground for the royal families of Jamnagar and Porbandar. The sanctuary features hilly terrain surrounded by forests, wastelands, and agricultural land.

Notes:
Researchers discovered a new species of toad named Duttaphrynus dhara in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. The species prefers forest-edge and semi-natural habitats. It is a small forest-associated toad with a compact body, wider head, and rough skin covered with pointed keratinised warts. The toad has a brown body with black patches, dark fingers and toes, and a creamy white underside with black blotches. It differs from closely related species such as Duttaphrynus stuarti and Duttaphrynus chandai.

Notes:
The recent Wayanad landslides led to bodies and debris being carried downstream into the Chaliyar River, resulting in extensive search operations. Chaliyar River, also known as the Beypore River, is one of the major west-flowing rivers of Kerala. The river originates from the Ilambaleri Hills of the Nilgiri Mountains near the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border. It flows through Wayanad, Malappuram, and Kozhikode districts before draining into the Arabian Sea near Beypore.

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A rare Himalayan Brown Bear was recently captured on camera in Gamgul Siyabehi Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary is located in Himachal Pradesh in the catchment area of the Siul Nala, a tributary of the Ravi River. It shares its northern boundary with Jammu and Kashmir. The sanctuary is notable for being the only sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh where the Kashmir Stag has been reported.

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The Supreme Court of India recently ordered the removal of encroachments and demolition of illegal structures in the Agasthyamalai landscape. The Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve is located in the southern part of the Western Ghats across Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It was included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme in 2016. The biosphere reserve is known for its rich biodiversity and ecological significance in the Western Ghats region.

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Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh launched the NZP Saathi App at the National Zoological Park. The NZP Saathi App is a smart digital zoo guide available on Android and iOS. It provides interactive digital maps, smart navigation to animal enclosures & facilities and thematic tours such as Express Tour, Family Tour, Grand Zoo Tour, and My Tour. The initiative aims to improve visitor convenience and promote digital transformation at the National Zoological Park.

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Recently, the Punjab Forest Department prepared a ₹5.36-crore development plan for the Jhajjar-Bachauli Wildlife Sanctuary. It is located in Rupnagar district, Punjab. The sanctuary lies near the Sutlej River in the foothills of the Shivalik Range. It is characterized by dry deciduous forests.

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Scientists recently discovered a new fish species, Eechathalakenda incognita, from the Western Ghats in Kerala. It belongs to the Torinae subfamily of the Cyprinidae family and was discovered in streams within the Periyar Tiger Reserve. The species had been mistakenly identified as Eechathalakenda ophicephala for nearly 70 years. E. incognita is restricted to fast-flowing rocky streams inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve, while E. ophicephala is confined to the Pamba River headwaters. The discovery makes E. incognita the ninth point-endemic fish species identified in the Periyar Tiger Reserve.

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Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India and University of Madras discovered a new species of damselfly named Mortonagrion santha. It was discovered in Dasarathpur in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The species was found near a small farm pond surrounded by coconut plantations. It belongs to the genus Mortonagrion, known for highly secretive insects that blend into shaded coastal vegetation. The new species is distinct from its closest relative, Mortonagrion arthuri, found in Southeast Asia.

Notes:
Researchers have discovered a new frog species named Ingerana occidens. Ingerana occidens, also called the western trickle frog, is a newly identified species of frog. It was discovered in the Garo Hills and Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, located south of the Brahmaputra River. DNA analysis showed an 18% genetic difference between the new species and Ingerana borealis, confirming it as a distinct species. The species name “occidens” comes from the Latin word for “west.” The name was chosen because its habitat represents the westernmost known range of any species in the Ingerana genus.