Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management recently completed documentation and ground-truthing of most wetlands in Maharashtra. It was established in 2011 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as an autonomous institution for coastal conservation and management. Its headquarters is located in Chennai. The organisation promotes integrated and sustainable management of coastal and marine ecosystems for the welfare of coastal communities.

Notes:
A survey to estimate the population of the Indian giant squirrel has started in Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary is located in the northern Western Ghats across Pune, Thane, and Raigad districts of Maharashtra. It is named after Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas.MBhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1985.

Notes:
A rare sighting of the Giant Malabar Squirrel was recently reported in the Devpur forest area of Barnawapara forest in Chhattisgarh. The Giant Malabar Squirrel, also known as the Indian Giant Squirrel, is a large multicoloured tree squirrel species endemic to India and is among the world’s largest squirrels. It is mainly found in the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, and Satpura Range. The Giant Malabar Squirrel is the state animal of Maharashtra and is locally known as “Shekru.” According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, its conservation status is “Least Concern.”

Notes:
According to the third synchronised population survey, the population of the Nilgiri Tahr has increased to 1,364. The Nilgiri Tahr is an endangered mountain ungulate endemic to the Western Ghats. It is also known as the Nilgiri Ibex and locally called Varayaadu. It is the only mountain ungulate in southern India. The species is found in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, with the largest population in Eravikulam National Park.

Notes:
Researchers recently discovered a new species of soil-dwelling termite, Pseudocapritermes novus, in the Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary of West Bengal. Unlike destructive termites, it is a soil-feeding termite that plays an important role in soil formation, nutrient recycling, and maintaining ecosystem health. These termites feed on soil and humus, making them valuable indicators of soil fertility and ecosystem quality. The discovery increases the number of Pseudocapritermes species recorded in India to five. The species belongs to a group of termites known for their asymmetrical snapping jaws, which produce clicking sounds for defence and alarm communication.

Notes:
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.

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.

Notes:
Recently, the fourth eco-tourism season at Amangarh Tiger Reserve was extended by 15 days. It is located in Bijnor district, Uttar Pradesh. The reserve forms part of the Terai-Bhabar ecosystem, a unique forest belt along the foothills of the Himalayas. Amangarh was originally a part of Jim Corbett National Park. After the creation of Uttarakhand in 2000, the Amangarh sector remained in Uttar Pradesh.

Notes:
Recently, researchers discovered a new bacterial species named Brachybacterium netajii in the Hooghly River, a distributary of the Ganga, in West Bengal. It can degrade p-nitrophenol (PNP), a toxic industrial pollutant. It is highly resistant to heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. It is halotolerant, meaning it can survive in environments with up to 9% salt concentration. Its genome contains unique genomic islands that help produce industrial enzymes and ectoine, a compound that protects it from extreme environmental stress.

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Recently, a rescued Chinese pangolin and an Asian palm civet were released into Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary in Meghalaya. Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Meghalaya within the Eastern Himalayan Global Biodiversity Hotspot. It was established in 1981 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The Umtrew River forms the western boundary of the sanctuary. The sanctuary is dominated by tropical moist deciduous and tropical semi-evergreen forests.