Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
A new species of stingless honey bee, Tetragonula nagalandensis, has been discovered in Nagaland. Unlike many common honey bees, the new species is subterranean, with colonies found up to 80 cm beneath moist soil. The bee is approximately 5 mm long and is distinguished by specific features of the male reproductive anatomy. Its nesting behaviour is also distinctive, with compact clusters of brood cells protected by layers of wax and organic material. The discovery brings the number of known stingless bee species in India to 19.

Notes:
Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary has recorded a sharp rise in its Indian gaur population, supported by extensive grassland restoration and habitat management. The gaur population increased from 659 in 2024, 778 in 2025 and 848 in 2026. Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Bargarh, Odisha, near the Hirakud Reservoir. It is an important wildlife landscape and a major habitat for the Indian Gaur (Bos gaurus). The sanctuary has developed around 2,500 hectares of meadows and grasslands through sustained habitat-restoration efforts. The estimated gaur density is 2.44 animals per sq km, described in the report as the largest gaur population reported in Odisha.

Notes:
A rare bicephalic (two-headed) wolf snake was rescued in the Dahod district of Gujarat. Dahod is located in the eastern part of Gujarat, bordering Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Bicephaly is a rare embryological abnormality where a single zygote fails to split completely during development, resulting in two distinct heads sharing a single body. This biological phenomenon causes severe functional limitations, making survival difficult in the wild due to conflicting motor decisions between the heads. The rescue highlights the rich herpetofaunal diversity in the forest divisions of Dahod.

Notes:
Oscar Whitfield, a British wildlife photographer, won the Young Grand Title at the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition for his photograph Labour of Love. The photograph captures a dung beetle pushing a ball of dung uphill in Zambezi National Park, Zimbabwe, when Whitfield was 14 years old. Dung beetles are an ecological functional grouping of beetles that feed on faecal matter. Dung processing involves beetles dividing dung into portions or balls, which they consume, roll or bury for feeding and breeding.

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India’s first Red List Assessment of Ecosystems (RLE) project was officially launched at Kollam, Kerala. Initiated by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB), this pioneering one-year study aims to assess ecological collapse risks across all 14 districts of the state. The project covers diverse ecosystems ranging from high-altitude mountain summits to midland and coastal habitats. By establishing baseline spatial data and ecological risk categories, the initiative will assist local self-government bodies in targeted ecorestoration and sustainable land-use planning.

Notes:
Under Project Lion, Barda is developed as a second habitat and satellite site for the Asiatic lion population. The initiative aims to reduce pressure on the Gir landscape and minimise risks to lions from disease outbreaks and natural disasters. Barda Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Devbhumi Dwarka and Porbandar districts of Gujarat, approximately 100 km from the Gir landscape. The sanctuary was officially declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1979. Historically, Barda supported wild lions until the late 19th century.

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Lankamala Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Andhra Pradesh, is known for its diverse wildlife and forest ecosystem. It extends across parts of Kadapa and Annamayya districts. Recent camera-trap surveys conducted as a spin-off of the latest tiger census have recorded a rich variety of wildlife, including bears, leopards, mountain goats, wild boars, deer, wild cats and jungle fowl. The camera traps have also captured different varieties of lizards, large monitor lizards and considerable numbers of peafowl. The sanctuary covers nearly 5.50 lakh hectares.

Notes:
The Meesapulimala hills near Munnar in Kerala have turned purple following the blooming of the rare Neelakurinji flowers. Neelakurinji is scientifically known as Strobilanthes kunthiana and is famous for its spectacular mass flowering, generally associated with a 12-year cycle. Meesapulimala is located in the Western Ghats of Kerala and is a popular destination for nature lovers and eco-tourists. The mass blooming transforms the hillsides into a purple landscape, attracting visitors to the region.

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The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has proposed a uniform 1-km Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni Wildlife Sanctuary. Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Tinsukia district of Assam, in the Upper Brahmaputra Valley. The sanctuary covers approximately 7.22 square kilometres and consists of three separate forest patches: Bherjan, Borajan and Padumoni. It is characterised by tropical wet evergreen, semi-evergreen and swamp forests. The sanctuary is an important habitat for primates, particularly the Western Hoolock Gibbon, India’s only ape.

Notes:
Around 30,000 Chinar trees across Jammu and Kashmir have been geo-tagged and documented in a digital database to strengthen their protection and conservation. The initiative was started in 2025 to facilitate digital monitoring and documentation of these heritage trees. Chinar is locally known as “Boueen” and is an iconic feature of Kashmir’s landscape. The tree is believed to have been introduced into Kashmir from Persia. It can grow up to 30 metres in height and takes approximately 150 years to reach its full size. Chinar is a protected species under the Jammu and Kashmir Preservation of Specified Trees Act, 1969. The largest Chinar tree is reported to be in Ganderbal district, with a girth of approximately 22.25 metres and a height of 27 metres.