Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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The Painted Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis pictus) is a rare, colourful terrestrial reptile recently spotted in Bastar, Chhattisgarh. It belongs to the genus Eublepharis under the family Eublepharidae, distributed across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The species was scientifically described in 2022 from the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The Brahmani River acts as a geographical barrier separating it from the East Indian Leopard Gecko. It prefers dry evergreen forests with scrub and meadow habitats.

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Researchers recently discovered a new bent-toed gecko species, Cyrtodactylus jayadityai, in Tripura, highlighting Northeast India’s rich biodiversity. The species inhabits lowland forest patches, emphasizing the ecological value of these habitats. It is genetically distinct, showing about 4.7–5.2 percent divergence from its closest relative, Cyrtodactylus tripuraensis, based on mitochondrial Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) analysis. The gecko is nocturnal, becoming active at night for foraging and hiding in burrows during the day. With this discovery, the total number of Cyrtodactylus species in Northeast India has increased to 31.

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Scientists discovered two new jumping spider species—Mogrus shushka and Mogrus pune—belonging to the genus Mogrus, found in arid and urban ecosystems. Mogrus shushka was identified in Desert National Park, adapted to extreme heat, low humidity, and sandy terrain of the Thar Desert. Its name is derived from the Sanskrit word “shushka,” meaning dry, reflecting its habitat conditions. Mogrus pune was discovered in Alfa Laval Biodiversity Park and named after Pune city. These spiders belong to jumping spiders (family Salticidae), known for keen vision and agile hunting. The discovery highlights India’s biodiversity richness across both desert ecosystems and urban green spaces.

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The Gauhati High Court directed the Assam government to respond to a petition regarding tree felling in the sanctuary without central forest clearance. Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the eastern fringe of Guwahati city, Assam. It was formed by merging South Amchang Reserve Forest, Amchang Reserve Forest, and Khanapara Reserve Forest. The sanctuary extends from the Brahmaputra River in the north to the forested hills of Meghalaya in the south.

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The Salween River, also called the Nu River in China and Thanlwin in Myanmar, is a transboundary river shared by China, Myanmar, and Thailand, recently facing arsenic pollution from mining in Myanmar. It is about 2400 km long and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in mainland Southeast Asia. The river originates in the Tibetan region of the eastern Himalayas at around 4,000 meters and flows through Yunnan, Myanmar, and along the Myanmar–Thailand border before draining into the Gulf of Martaban in the Andaman Sea. Its upper course runs parallel to the Mekong and Yangtze rivers, forming the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan.

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Recently, a special polling station was set up inside the Srivilliputhur–Meghamalai Tiger Reserve for just five voters, highlighting electoral accessibility in remote areas. The reserve is located in Tamil Nadu within the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats. It was formed by merging the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary and Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary. It acts as a vital wildlife corridor connecting Periyar Tiger Reserve and Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. The reserve is sustained by major rivers such as Vaigai, Suruliyaru, and Shanmuganathi.

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Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary has witnessed a demand from a committee of monks to remove its eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) status. The eco-sensitive zone status was notified about ten years ago to protect the region’s fragile ecosystem. The demand aims to allow unrestricted organisation of religious activities in the Girnar hills. The sanctuary is located in Junagadh district of Gujarat in the Saurashtra region. It is an ecologically important area that supports around 54 Asiatic lions.

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Mount Dukono recently erupted, sending an ash column up to 1,400 meters above its summit. It is an active volcano located on Halmahera Island in North Maluku, Indonesia. The volcano has a broad, low profile with multiple summit peaks and overlapping craters. It lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire. Since 1933, it has shown continuous volcanic activity with frequent eruptions and ash emissions. Its eruptions are both explosive and effusive, producing lava flows and mudflows.

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Suru River recently came into news after the mortal remains of a six-year-old boy from Ladakh were retrieved from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) more than a month after he drowned in the river. The Suru River is an important tributary of the Indus River located in the Kargil district of Ladakh. It originates from the Panzella Glacier near Pensi La Pass and Drang Drung Glacier in the Zanskar region. The river forms the Suru Valley, surrounded by the famous Nun-Kun peaks, and flows through towns such as Kargil, Tongul, Goma, and Kharul before entering Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

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White-bellied heron is a rare bird species found in the wetlands and free-flowing river habitats of the eastern Himalayan foothills in northeast India, Bhutan, and northern Myanmar. The proposal for Arunachal Pradesh’s Kalai-II hydel project has raised concerns because it does not mention the habitat of this critically endangered bird. The white-bellied heron (Ardea insignis), also called the imperial heron, is the second-largest living heron species in the world. The bird mainly feeds on fish in river rapids and is considered an indicator of healthy rivers, fish populations, and good water quality. It is listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.