Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Migratory birds like stork cranes, pelicans, painted storks and bar-headed geese have returned to Keoladeo National Park after heavy monsoon rains. The park is located in Bharatpur district, Rajasthan, and was earlier called Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. It is one of the world’s most important bird breeding and feeding grounds. It was established in the late 19th century by Maharaja Suraj Mal as a hunting reserve.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
The Chhattisgarh government has intensified efforts to secure UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site status for Kanger Valley National Park. The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has been assigned to conduct a biodiversity survey for submission to UNESCO. Currently, Kanger Valley National Park and the Sirpur archaeological site are on UNESCO’s Tentative List. Kanger Valley National Park is located in Jagdalpur, in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh.

Notes:
A new fungus species named Parasynnemellisia khasiana has been discovered in bamboo forests near Mawsynram, Meghalaya. It was found on dead stems of thorny bamboo Chimonocalamus griffithianus. The species is named after the Khasi Hills region. Laboratory studies showed it does not belong to any known fungal genus. Researchers created a new genus called Parasynnemellisia with khasiana as its first species.

Notes:
Bihar government approved a revised proposal to notify Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve. The proposal will be sent to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for final clearance. Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest sanctuary in Bihar with rich biodiversity and dense forests. It is located in Kaimur and Rohtas districts within the Kaimur Range. The area covers parts of the Kaimur Plateau and Rohtas Plateau.

Notes:
Seven rare galaxy frogs (Melanobatrachus indicus) in Kerala’s Western Ghats have disappeared and are presumed dead after disturbance by wildlife photographers. Photographers overturned logs, trampled vegetation, handled frogs barehanded, and used strong camera flashes. They are endemic to the southern Western Ghats mountain range in India, specifically found in small patches of wet evergreen forests in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The species is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Notes:
A forest fire has been raging for five days in the Valley of Flowers, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site, prompting Uttarakhand authorities to seek Indian Air Force (IAF) assistance. The Valley of Flowers National Park is located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand and covers about 87 square kilometres. It was discovered in 1931 by British mountaineers led by Frank S. Smythe. The park is a core zone of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve along with Nanda Devi National Park. It forms a transition zone between the Zanskar and Great Himalayan ranges. The area is famous for alpine meadows, rich biodiversity, scenic beauty, and snow-covered Himalayan peaks.

Notes:
Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district of Odisha has reported a marginal rise in migratory birds as per the latest forest department census. The park covers about 672 square kilometres of mangrove swamps formed by the Brahmani, Baitarani, and Dhamra river delta. It contains creeks, backwaters, estuaries, deltas, and mudflats and is surrounded by Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. Gahirmatha Beach and Marine Sanctuary lie to the east near the Bay of Bengal. It is India’s second largest mangrove ecosystem after the Sundarbans and is a Ramsar site.

Notes:
The Gandak River, flowing along the India–Nepal border through West Champaran in Bihar, has become the second-largest habitat of gharials after the Chambal River. Sustained conservation efforts by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change have driven this recovery. Adult gharial numbers in the Gandak increased from 54 in 2015 to over 400 in 2025, while the total population including juveniles crossed 1,000. The Chambal River remains the largest habitat with over 2,400 gharials.

Notes:
Researchers discovered a new wildflower species named Lepidagathis konkanensis in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. It was found in Ratnagiri district during a floristic survey of lateritic plateaus, which are iron-rich and harsh habitats. The species is currently known from a very small area of less than 65 square kilometres. The name honours the Konkan region, which is isolated by the Arabian Sea and Sahyadri Mountains. Scientists recommend its status as Data Deficient under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).