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DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS
Romulus’ Krait: New Species of Snake A study of snakes in southern and western India has identified a new species of snake. Named the Romulus’ krait (Bungarus romulusi) after the ‘snake man of India’, Romulus Whittaker, the species has so far remained undetected because of its similarity in appearance to the common krait (B. caeruleus) and only a careful genetic analysis revealed that the two were distinct species. The study also showed that some kraits i
How do butterflies fly with such small bodies and large wings? Unlike any other flying animal, butterflies have unusually short, broad and large wings relative to their body size. By studying the aerodynamics of butterflies in a wind tunnel, researchers have now answered this question which has confused lepidopterologists (who study moths and butterflies) for years. The results suggested that butterflies use a clap technique which helps them take off rapidly. “When the wings cla
Leatherback Sea Turtle It is the largest of the seven species of sea turtles. Other species are: Olive Ridley turtle, Green turtle, Hawksbill turtle, Loggerhead turtle, Leatherback turtle Except the Loggerhead, the remaining four species nest along the Indian coast. It is found in all oceans except the Arctic and the Antarctic. Within the Indian Ocean, they nest only in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is the only living species in the gen
Black-browed Babbler After a long time, a solitary black-browed babbler was spotted in south-eastern Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo. This small brown-grey songbird was stout, with a relatively short tail and a robust bill with a black eye stripe running all the way around its head. This bird is often called 'the biggest enigma in Indonesian ornithology.' IUCN Red List - “Data Deficient” category.
03 March, 2021 Invasive Earthworm Species Found in Karnataka An exotic and highly invasive earthworm Amynthas Alexandria has been collected and reported for the first time from Karnataka. They are medium-to-large-sized, fast-moving worms, which have practically inhabited all the districts of Kerala. Their original home is in Southeast Asia.
08 March, 2021 The flowering of Bamboos in Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve The gregarious flowering of bamboo inside the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and the nearby Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and Gudalur forest division in Tamil Nadu. The life cycle of bamboo: Bamboo is a monocarpic (flowering occurs only once in the life cycle) plant belonging to the Poaceae family (grass family), and its flowering cycle varies from 40 to 60 years. The Bamboo flowers and die. Regeneration occurs from seeds after gre
15 March, 2021 500-METRE-TALL CORAL REEF Scientists have discovered a detached coral reef in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia taller than the Empire State Building of the United States. About the reef The newly discovered reef adds to the seven other tall detached reefs in the world. This includes Raine Island. Raine Island is the most important Green Sea Turtle nesting area in the world. What are Detached reefs? Detached reefs are the reefs that are bedded to the
Project RE-HAB-National Honey Mission An initiative of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Project RE-HAB (Reducing Elephant-Human Attacks using Bees) intends to create “bee fences” to thwart elephant attacks in human habitations using honeybees. Project RE-HAB is a sub-mission of KVIC’s National Honey Mission. That is how the authorities intend to mitigate human-elephant conflict that seems to continue unabated in Kodagu and other parts of s
16 March, 2021 Seabuckthorn Plantations in Himachal Pradesh The Himachal Pradesh government has decided to start Sea Buckthorn Plantation in the cold desert areas. About Sea buckthorn: It is a shrub that produces an orange-yellow coloured edible berry. It is found above the tree line in the Himalayan region. It is generally in dry areas such as the cold deserts of Ladakh and Spiti. It is locally called Himalayan chharma and grows in the wild in Lahaul and Spiti and parts of Kinnaur.
18 March, 2021 Tiger Reserves in India About Tiger Reserves: Tiger Reserves are protected areas that aim at conserving the habitat to ensure a viable population of the tigers along with their prey base in their habitat. Declared by: Tigers Reserves are declared by the National Tiger Conservation Authority via Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act,2006 under Project
Tulips in Jammu & Kashmir The Prime Minister through a tweet asked everyone to visit a tulip garden in Jammu and Kashmir. The garden is located at the foothills of the Zabarwan range. About the Tulip Garden: The tulip garden is located at the foothills of the Zabarwan range. It is Asia’s largest tulip garden, spreading over an area of about 30 hectares. This garden is home to more than 64 varieties of tulips in bloom. It was started in 2007 to boost floriculture and touri
26 March, 2021 New Red Alga found in the Arabian Sea Two new species of red seaweed - Hypnea indica and Hypnea bullata - have been discovered by marine biologists from the Central University of Punjab (The genus Hypnea includes red seaweeds.) Hypnea indica - Discovered from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, and Somnath Pathan and Sivrajpur in Gujarat. Hypnea bullata - Discovered from the Kanyakumari and Diu islands of Daman and Diu. Another species, Hypnea nidifica, has been found for the first tim
31 March, 2021 A group of lepidopterists discovers a new species of butterfly. It was named as “Nacaduba Sinhala Ramaswamii Sadasivan”. Note: A lepidopterist is a person who specializes in studying butterflies and moths. About the New Species: It is a Line Blue Butterfly Species that belongs to the Nacaduba genus group. Line Blues are small butterflies belonging to the subfamily Lycaenidae. Their distribution ranges from India
02 April, 2021 New Small Freshwater Fish found- Schistura Hiranyakeshi It is a new small freshwater fish species discovered near Amboli in Sawantwadi tehsil of Sindhudurg district. It is a rare sub-species of Schistura, a freshwater loach. Named after the Hiranyakeshi River near Amboli village, this fish is a colourful fish that lives in water and streams in an abundance of oxygen. It was important to conserve this species as it might face extinction due to fishing activities. Jammu and Kashm
03 April, 2021 Recent Dolphin Census Report Released The Odisha State Forest and Environment Department released the final data on the dolphin census that covered almost the entire coast of Odisha. Key Findings: The number of dolphins increased by 311 in Odisha taking the total number up to 544 Dolphins. In the 2020 census, there were a total of 233 dolphins in the Odisha state. Census recorded three species of Dolphins: Irrawaddy, bottle-nose, and humpback dolphins. Irrawaddy Dolphins: The pop
13 April, 2021 National Award for Excellence in Forestry The National Award of Excellence for Outstanding Research in Forestry for the year 2019 has been awarded to Kannan C S Warrier, a scientist at the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB). This award is conferred by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE). The award has been awarded to Kannan C S Warrier for releasing three salt-tolerant productive clones of Casuarina that are suita
01 April, 2021 Culex Mosquito With the change in season and rise in temperature, culex or common house mosquitoes have made reappearance across Delhi. Unlike Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which spread dengue and chikungunya and breed in clean water, culex mosquitoes breed in unclean stagnant water. Culex mosquitoes are known as carriers or vectors of diseases such as Japanese encephalitis, West Nile Virus and Lymphatic filariasis. They bite by detecting body heat and carbon dioxide that humans exh
02 April, 2021 Operation Olivia Every year, the Indian Coast Guard’s “Operation Olivia”, initiated in the early 1980s, helps protect Olive Ridley turtles as they congregate along the Odisha coast for breeding and nesting from November to December. The Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) is listed as vulnerable under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red list. All five species of sea turtles found in India are included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildli
13 June, 2021 Everything about Coral Reefs Coral Polyp is a living animal living in a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae algae. Corals are actually white and they receive their colours and Energy from zooxanthellae algae. The coral polyp provides Algae with a Protected Environment. Productivity of Estuaries > Swamp, Marshes, Wetlands > Coral Reefs > Equatorial and Tropical rainforests > Savannah. Coral reefs are CaCO3 (L
28 June, 2021 186 elephants were killed on rail tracks in over 10 years Asiatic Elephant Asiatic Elephant is Endangered in IUCN; Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix I of CITES. Elephants are National Heritage animals. World Elephant Day = 12 Aug, 2017. Elephant Reserves (ER are declared by the Center) Singhbhum ER in JH is the 1st ER in India. Karnataka has the highest Elephants followed by Assam
15 May, 2021 Everything about: Elephants Asiatic Elephant Asiatic Elephant is Endangered in IUCN; Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix I of CITES. Elephants are National Heritage animals. World Elephant Day = 12 Aug, 2017. Elephant Reserves (ER are declared by Center) Singhbhum ER in JH is the 1st ER of India. Karnataka has the highest Elephants followed by Assam & Kerala. Singphan ER = Nag
25 July, 2021 Common survey to count elephants and tigers Why in news? From December, India will move to a system that will count tigers and elephants as part of a common survey in 2022. This will be for the first time that Tiger and Elephants will be counted in a single survey. The tiger survey is usually held once in four years and elephants are counted once in five years. According to the most recent 2018-19 survey, there were 2,997 tigers in India. According to the last count in 2017, ther
RED PANDA An ambitious program has been started by the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan zoological park to release 20 Red Pandas in about five years to the forest. About Red Panda In the world, there are only two different panda species the Giant pandas and the Red pandas. The red panda is the state animal of Sikkim. India is the home to both subspecies of Panda which is the Himalayan red panda and the Chinese red panda, both found in the forest of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and th
13 July, 2022 SNOW LEOPARD A study on snow leopards has thrown up interesting insights into the elusive mountain cat and its prey species by the Zoological Survey of India. The studies highlighted the relationship between habitat uses by Snow Leopard, Siberian ibex and blue sheep under the National Mission on Himalayan by Zoological Survey of India. It mainly aimed at examining how the predator used habitat in the presence or absence of its prey species and vice-versa. The key highlight of the
26 July, 2022 FIRST ASIAN RECORD OF LIGHT MANTLED ALBATROSS Asia’s first sighting of the Light Mantled Albatross, a species native to the Antarctic has been spotted on the Rameswaram coast. The researchers feel a change in atmospheric pressure could have been among the reason for the albatross to land on an Indian shore. About Albatross They have nasal tubes on the upper bill called naricorns, though with albatrosses these are on the sides of the upper mandible rather than the top.
27 July, 2022 INTERNATIONAL TIGER DAY AND CONSERVATION MEASURES Every year on 29TH July International Tiger Day is celebrated. The first International Tiger Day was celebrated in the year 2010 after it was found that 97% of all the wild tigers had disappeared in the last century, with about only 3,000 of them remaining. Aim: the aim is to halt the numbers from worsening as well as the preservation of these species, the day also aims to protect and expand their habitats. Conservation status of t
29 July, 2022 Wildlife Protection Amendment Bill 2021 The Lok Sabha passed by voice vote the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill-2021 which seeks to provide for the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). It also seeks to amend the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The objective of the bill Prohibition of hunting, Protection and management of wildlife habitats, Establishment and control of trade in parts and pro
Rock Agama Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) conducted a survey to determine the precise locations of the rock agama in and around Bengaluru. About rock agama It is a particular kind of garden lizard that is widely distributed in southern India. It is a big animal with eye-catching orange and black colouring. They need to find external sources of heat, such as a heated rock or a sunny area on the wall, as they cannot produce their own body heat. They a
Megalodon According to research, ancient Megalodon sharks were able to devour a whale in a few bites. About Megalodon Otodus megalodon is its scientific name. It is a mackerel shark species that were extinct millions of years ago. In the past 23 million to 2.6 million years, it inhabited the waters. It was the biggest shark to ever traverse the oceans of the planet. Description Around 70 tonnes, or the equivalent of 10 elephants, would have been the weight of the
International Whale Shark Day Save the Whale Shark Campaign was recently launched in Mangaluru by the Delhi-based nonprofit Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) along the states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Lakshadweep. International Whale Shark Day is celebrated on August 30, 2022, with the slogan "The Future of Sharks: Guardians of Our Seas." Save the Whale Campaign In cooperation with the Forest and Fisheries Departments of Karnataka, Kerala, and the Lakshadweep administrat
Red-eared Slider Turtle Concern has been raised over the red-eared slider turtle, an invasive species, showing up in Kerala's public water bodies. Image Source - Scroll About The main issue is that it not only devastates the aquatic habitat (leading to the extinction of native species), but it also harbours bacteria that are dangerous to humans. It is therefore recognized as a significant invasive alien species. Of the 356 turtle species recognized worldwide, 29 freshwat
Emperor Penguin According to a significant evaluation of environmental pollution near the South Pole, there is no evidence of microplastics in Emperor penguins. It is the largest penguin in the order (Sphenisciformes). Of all the living penguin species, it is also the tallest and heaviest. Geographical Presence: Antarctica-Specific Endemic IUCN Status: Close to Endangered. About Penguin They are a flock of water birds without wings. World Penguin Day is commemora
Great Indian Bustards (GIB) The recent sighting of Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) deep in Pakistan's Cholistan desert has fueled speculation that the endangered birds may have flown across the border from India's Desert National Park (DNP). What Are the Most Important Facts About the Great Indian Bustard (GIB)? The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), Rajasthan's state bird, is considered India's most critically endangered bird. It is regarded as the flagshi
Rhinoceros Horn Shrinkage According to a British Ecological Society study, rhinoceroses horns may have shrunk over time. Reasons for Horn Shrinkage Rhinos' horns, which are highly valued in some cultures, have long been hunted. The decreasing horn length across species over time, possibly due to hunting selective pressure and evolution. Important Fact: Keratin, the main component of human hair and fingernails, is used to make rhino horns. More on the Research
Gangetic River Dolphin Dolphins have begun to return to the Ganga River as the quality of its water has improved due to the Namami Gange Programme. Regarding the Gangetic River Dolphin The Ganges River dolphin was formally discovered in 1801. In 2009, they were designated as India's National Aquatic Animal. About Freshwater dolphins: The Gangetic River dolphin is one of the world's four freshwater dolphin species. The other three are the baiji of China'
Great Knot A Great knot from Russia has found its way to Kerala’s coast, flying over 9,000 km for a winter sojourn. Great knots to be re-sighted in India among the nearly thousand ones tagged with MOSKVA rings in the Kamchatka peninsula in eastern Russia. About Great knot Scientific Name: Calidris tenuirostris It is a small wader. It is the largest of the calidris species Habitat: Grassland, Marine Neritic, Marine Intertidal, Marine Coastal/Supratidal. This
Indian Skimmers According to the Asian Waterbird Census 2023, which has just begun (recommended dates for the AWC are 7 - 22 January), the Godavari estuary in Andhra Pradesh has developed into a prime and secure habitat for the Indian Skimmer ( Rynchops albicollis). Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary reported seeing about 250 Indian Skimmers. What are Indian Skimmers? Indian scissors bill is another frequent name for Indian skimmers. Indian skimmers are found in the coastal estu
Pangolin The World-Wide Fund for Nature India, also known as WWF India, and TRAFFIC, a non-governmental organization that tracks illegal international wildlife trade, recently released a report detailing the poaching and trafficking of over 1,200 pangolins, also known as the scaly anteaters, in India over the course of the previous four years from 2018 to 2022. In the 342 seizure occurrences, more than 880 kg of pangolin compounds and 199 live pangolins were reported. More on the ne
Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) 2023 190 nations, including India, took part in GBBC 2023 during February 17–20. More on the news: It is an annual event that unites bird watchers, students, and nature lovers together to count the birds they spot nearby their homes, places of employment, or educational institutions. Key Findings: During the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) 2023, West Bengal recorded the most species (489), followed by Uttarakhand (426), Arunachal
03 March, 2023 Great Seahorses Latest Context It's possible that the big seahorse is being forced to migrate arduously towards Odisha by intensive fishing off the coast of Coromandel. Although fishing pressure off the coast of Odisha is lower, the Seahorse may not find its new home there due to a lack of suitable habitat. More on News Off the coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal, fishing is less active. Nevertheless, a study published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Endangered
14 March, 2023 Muggers of Rapti Mugger crocodiles (Crocodylus plaustris) of the Rapti River, which flows beside the Chitwan National Park (CNP) in South-Central Nepal and is next to the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar, are at risk because of anthropogenic concerns such as illicit fishing and sand mining. The first National Park in Nepal was the CNP, which opened in 1973. The park is home to one of the last groups of Asian rhinoceroses with only one horn. Prioritizing the inclusion of local ethnic and ri
16 March, 2023 Mangrove Pitta Bird In recent months, Kendrapara and Jagatsingpur, two coastal districts of Odisha, undertook the first mangrove pitta bird census. What is the Mangrove Pitta? About: The Mangrove Pitta bird (Pitta megarhyncha) is a species of bird found in a few isolated areas of eastern India, such as the Bhitarkanika in Odisha and the Sundarbans in West Bengal. The Mangrove Pitta bird, a ground forager and tree sitter that lives predominantly in India's coastal man
18 April, 2023 A new study has revealed that two species of mosquitofish (Gambusia) have invaded various ecosystems across India. Gambusia fish – An insectivorous fish that is found mostly in fresh and brackish, and occasionally marine waters and has a high breeding capacity. When released into freshwater system, they feed on mosquito larvae and thus act as biocontrol agent to control mosquitoes. Commonly used Gambusia species includes Gambusia affi
Ghol fish was declared as State fish of Gujarat owing to its economic value and its uniqueness. Scientific name – Protonibea diacanthus. It is also called as black-spotted croake. Habitat – Usually found in the Indo-Pacific region that stretches from the Persian Gulf to the Pacific Ocean. In India, this fish is found mostly in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Threat – Pollution and relentless fishing have pushed its population to deep sea which ma
Hirodai ohtsukai is a new genus and species of crustacean parasite discovered recently in the Dollfus’ Stargazer (Uranoscopus guttatus) fish species off the coast of India. Dollfus' stargazer (Uranoscopus dollfusi) is a marine fish in the family Uranoscopidae. It is widespread in the Western Indian Ocean, including the Gulf of Suez, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf. It can be found at depths ranging from 300-550 m. The stargazers are a family of perciform fish that have
Coinciding with the onset of the Northeast monsoon the butterflies from the subfamily Danainae migrate from the Eastern Ghats and plains towards the Western Ghats was below par this year. Butterflies -Blue Tiger, Dark Blue Tiger, Double-branded Crow, and Common Crow (commonly known as ‘Tigers and Crows’). Blue Tiger - Tirumala limniace is a Nymohalidae butterfly popularly known as Blue Tiger. It is commonly seen in villages, cities and forests. Dark Blue
The blue dragon (Glaucus atlanticus) is a small, shell-less, blue sea slug that floats upside down in the open ocean. It is also known as the blue sea dragon, blue angel, sea swallow, and blue ocean slug. They are found in tropical and subtropical waters throughout the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Blue dragons are mobile prey feeders, meaning they prey on organisms that move on their own. Conservation Status IUCN – Endangered.
Shark & ray meat (elasmobranch meat) consumption no longer restricted to India’s tribal & coastal peoples. Elasmobranch is a subclass of the Class Chondrichthyes: Cartilaginous Fishes, which consists of sharks, rays, skates, and chimaeras. The rise in demand for elasmobranch meat could lead to more unsustainable fishing of shark species. Difference - The other subclass of cartilaginous fish, the Holocephali, consists of Chimaeras, ratfish (Genus Chimaera) and
20 Dec,2024
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