Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl, called Ghost of the Forest, was recently photographed in Corbett Reserve, Uttarakhand. Scientific name is Ketupa nipalensis and it is a large forest eagle owl. It is found in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and parts of Southeast Asia. It lives in tropical and subtropical forests, woodlands and savannas. It is one of the longest owls in the world with chocolate brown body and white spots. It is listed as Least Concern in International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list.

Notes:
Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered a new species of Diplura named Lepidocampa sikkimensis in the eastern Himalayas. The species was found in Ravangla, Sikkim. Diplura are small, wingless, soil-dwelling arthropods. This is the first time an Indian research team described a species in this primitive hexapod group. The study provides the first DNA barcode data globally for an Indian Lepidocampa species.

Notes:
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:
A recent study warns that climate change may restrict the habitat of the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon to a few isolated pockets in the Western Ghats by the end of the century. It is an endemic pigeon species of the Western Ghats in India. It is large, dark in colour, with a distinctive checkerboard pattern on its nape. It lives in high-elevation wet evergreen, moist evergreen, semi-evergreen forests and shola forests. It is mainly found in the Nilgiris and Anamalai Hills, with isolated populations in Biligirirangan Hills, Nandi Hills and northern Maharashtra.

Notes:
A new groundwater fish species, Gitchak nakana, has been discovered in Assam. It belongs to a newly described genus under the family Cobitidae (loaches). The name comes from the Garo language: “Gitchak” means red, referring to its blood-red colour, and “na-tok” and “kana” mean blind fish. It shows subterranean adaptations like absence of visible eyes, translucent pigmentless body, and extreme miniaturisation. It completely lacks a skull roof, with the brain covered only by skin. It lives in groundwater aquifers, which are difficult to access.

Notes:
Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary hosted the second edition of the two-day Indian Bison Fest. It is located in Bargarh district of Odisha near Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River. Hirakud Dam is the longest dam in India and the longest earthen dam in the world. The sanctuary is linked with freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai, whose base at Barapathara was here during revolt against British rule.

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The High Court of Karnataka directed the State government to issue a notification to include left-out areas of Kappatagudda reserve forest in the Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary. Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Karnataka. It has diverse habitats—dry deciduous forests, grasslands, scrublands, and riverine zones—earning it the nickname “Western Ghats of North Karnataka.” The sanctuary has historical significance with ancient temples and ruins on the hillsides. These structures reflect dynasties like the Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas.

Notes:
A new parasitic wasp species Chelonus (Carinichelonus) mahadeb has been recently recorded from Nahortoli Tea Estate in Assam. It belongs to the genus Chelonus, whose members are very tiny parasitic wasps but play an important ecological role in insect population control. The discovery is significant because the subgenus Carinichelonus is extremely rare and poorly documented worldwide. This species is only the second newly described species of the subgenus Carinichelonus from India in recent times, making the finding scientifically important.

Notes:
A pair of Shaheen Falcon was recently found nesting in a multi-storey residential complex in Kochi, highlighting its adaptability to urban environments. The Shaheen Falcon (Falco peregrinus peregrinator) is a non-migratory subspecies of the Peregrine Falcon found mainly in the Indian subcontinent. It is found across India and also reported in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. It is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Notes:
Telangana Government has started rehabilitation and relocation of tribal families from Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) to balance tribal development and wildlife conservation. Amrabad Tiger Reserve is located in the Nallamala Hills of Eastern Ghats in Telangana. It was earlier part of Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve before Andhra Pradesh–Telangana bifurcation (2014). The reserve has rugged terrain, deep valleys, and dense forests, supporting rich biodiversity. Krishna River and its streams flow through the reserve, feeding Srisailam Dam and Nagarjunasagar Dam. The Chenchu tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), is the main community residing inside the reserve.