Environment CSE (P) 2016

Environment Current Events

2016

Prelims

2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference

-        COP 21 was held in Paris, France from 30 November to 12 December 2015. It was the 21st yearly session of the Conference of the Parties with a proposal of achieving zero GHG emissions growth by 2060-80.

-        he conference reached its objective for the first time to achieve a global agreement on reduction of climate change in the Paris Agreement, which was adopted with acclamation by nearly all states.

-        On the sidelines of summit 189 parties had submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) on climate actions.

-        The agreement will become legally binding if at least 55 countries representing 55% of global greenhouse emissions become a party to it through signature followed by ratification, acceptance, and approval or through accession in New York from 22 April 2016 to 21 April 2017. It is expected to take effect in 2020.

HIGHLIGHTS:

§  According to the organizing committee, the expected key result was to limit the global warming by 2100, compared to pre-industrial to below 2 degrees Celsius.

§  A 5°C goal will require a zero level in emissions sometimes between 2030 and 2050 according to some scientists.

§  No detailed timeplan or country-specific goals for emissions were stated in the final version of the Paris Agreement.

§  A zero level should be reached during the second half of the century.

India--

§  India launches global solar alliance of 120 countries – PM Narendra Modi has launched an international solar alliance of over 120 countries with French President Francois Holland.

§  Indian Govt is investing an initial $30mn in setting up the alliance headquarter in India. The eventual goal is to raise $400m from membership fees and international agencies.

§  Companies involved in project – Areva, Engie, Enel, HSBC France and Tata Steel

§  India pledges to Paris summit offered to draw 40% of its electricity from renewables by 2030 as India is projected to be the world’s most popoluous city by 2030.

India’s has a target to install 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022.

1.      Swachhta Mission to be implemented in 10 prominent wildlife sanctuaries, Tiger reserves and National Parks

Aim:  make visitors to use Jute bag.

Focus: Keeping the Wildlife Sanctuaries, Tiger reserves and National Parks pollution-free and Ensure cleanliness & Waste Management.

disallow use of dustbin and plastic bags inside the reserves and Sanctuaries.

The ten places recognized for Swachh Bharat mission:

·         Gir National Park, Gujarat

·         Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh

·         Flamingo Sanctuary, Maharashtra

Tiger Reserve:

·         Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh

·         Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, Maharshtra

·         Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, Karnataka

·         Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala

·         Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan

·         Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu

·         Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand

The sanctuaries are covered over app 1.61 Lakh Sq.km and about 32 lakh visitors visit the sanctuaries every year.

Swachh Bharat Campaign in Sanctuaries is held during 1st June to 15th June 2016. It has been decided to continue to implement for the whole year if it is launched successfully.

2.       Darjeeling zoo to receive snow leopard from London’s Dudley Zoological Gardens

·         -Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in West Bengal’s Darjeeling

·         Source: from two-year-old male snow leopard named Makalu from Dudley Zoological Gardens (DZG) in Britain.

·         Aim: global conservation breeding programme

·         This is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Darjeeling zoo to receive snow leopard from London’s Dudley Zoological Gardens

·         -Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in West Bengal’s Darjeeling

·         Source: from two-year-old male snow leopard named Makalu from Dudley Zoological Gardens (DZG) in Britain.

·         Aim: global conservation breeding programme. This is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

3.       NHAI to reduce damage to KARNALA Bird Sanctuary

Aim: to mitigate the impact of a road project on the Karnala Bird Sanctuary (KBS).

The sanctuary on the Mumbai-Goa highway has a moist, mixed deciduous forest and falls under the Thane wildlife division of West Mumbai Wildlife Circle. It also forms part of the Western Ghat bio-geographic zone.

4.       FIRST MAMMAL to go extinct--- Australian rodent; The rodent also known as mosaic-tailed rat, was only known to live on Bramble Cay a small coral cay, just 340m long and 150m wide off the north coast of Queensland.

5.       Norway Becomes World’s First Country to Ban Deforestation- This comes in the aftermath of the recommendations of Parliament’s Standing Committee of Norway on Energy and Environment to take Action Plan on Nature Diversity.

6.       World Oceans Day – June 8--- to remind everyone of the major role the oceans have in everyday life and to educate the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean.

·         The day was witnessed since 1992 by Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was officially recognized by the United Nations in late 2008.

·         The theme for this year 2016 is Healthy oceans, healthy planet,

·         UN is making a special effort this year to BAN PLASTIC Pollution

7.      Gangetic River Dolphin to be City Animal of Guwahati

-The animal, locally known as Sihu would be the city animal of Guwahati.

8.       World Environment Day--Theme: "Go Wild for Life (Zero Tolerance for the Illegal Wildlife Trade)".

Angola is host nation for 2016 which seeks to restore its elephant herds.

9.       World Environment Day Tiger Express flagged off:---he Tiger Express has been launched with the aims to create awareness about our national animal tiger. It is one of the best innovative tourism product ever launched by Indian Railways.

10. Haryana Government launches Asia’s first Gyps Vulture Reintroduction Programme

·         @ Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre, Pinjore of the state.

·         Two Himalayan Griffons-released by Lal Khattar jointly with Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.

·         Status: ENDANGERED

·         Upon this move the country will ‘have four crore vultures in the next 10 years. The Himalayan Griffon is closely related to the critically endangered resident Gyps species of vultures but is not endangered. These vultures were wing-tagged and leg-ringed for identification.

11. India among top five in 2015 in green energy spending

 --In new investments, and in the top four as regards creating jobs in the green energy sector.

12.   NGT imposes Rs.50 lakh fine on East Coast Railway---for operating a illegal railway siding without consent of the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) at Jakhapura railway station near Kalinganagar in Odisha’s Jajpur district.

13.               Arunachal tiger reserve bags biodiversity award-Pakke Tiger Reserve of Arunachal Pradesh has awarded with the ‘India Biodiversity Award 2016

·         Importance: Horn bill Nest Adoption Programme of the Pakke Tiger Reserve

14. India becomes 5th largest producer of e-waste in world: ASSOCHAM-KPMG study

·            Wastages roughly 18.5 lakh metric tonnes of electronic waste and telecom equipment accounting for 12%.

·            Sources:

·            India emerged as the Second largest mobile market with 1.03 billion subscribers.

·            About 100 crore mobile phones in circulation, nearly 25 per cent end up in e-waste annually.

15.   Himachal Pradesh launches artificial propagation programme of mahseer fish for conservation

·         ---Aim: to prompt the fisheries department asked to make an artificial propagation programme for its rehabilitation and conservation.

·         Reasons for the action: Himachal Pradesh fisheries department observed that the strength of the golden mahseer is lessening due to various causes, including construction of dams, barrages, pollution, indiscriminate fishing of brood and juvenile fish, introduction of exotic species and habitat deterioration.

·         Golden Masher---> Golden mahseer is a Local words means The Big Mouth is longest-living freshwater fish. It is also known as the tiger of Indian rivers.

16.   Rare sighting: Brown bears return to Kargil---J&K Wildlife Department has spotted eight Himalayan brown bears in Kargil’s Drass Sector, where the 1999 war had bring about destruction with their habitats.

17.   Major Causes of AIR POLLUTION:WHO reported that India is home to four of the five cities in the world with worst air pollution.

·         4 most polluted cities out of top 5: Delhi, Gwalior, Allahabad, Patna, Raipur.

·         Dirtiest----> ZABOL (Iran)

·         Delhi ranks 9th:

·         80 per cent of world’s city dwellers breathing bad air: United Nations reported

Major causes of AIR PLLUTION:

·         Causes of air pollution:

·         Diesel-fuelled vehicles

·         Heating and cooling of big buildings

·         Waste management

·         Agriculture and the use of coal or diesel generators for power

18. Uttar Pradesh State Government approved “bicycle highway” between Taj and lion safari

·         200 km long done to promote Eco-Tourism in the surroundings of the Taj Mahal.

·         places covered ---

Raja Bhoj ki Haveli

Bateshwarnath Temple

Mela Kothi Jarar

Naugava ka Quila

Other rural areas

Ends at lion safari in Etawah

Germany and Denmark already implemented the Cycle highway in their country.

19. Fossils of first plant-eating marine reptile found

Atopodentatus found which is unique strangely toothed and had a bizarre hammerhead-shaped body.

Lived 242 million years ago in what is found in southern China, The fossil, discovered in 2014,

Having a Flamingo like beak

Apocalypse:

·         Atopodentatus helps us to unveil a bigger story about the world’s largest mass extinction 252 million years ago.

·         The existence of animals displays us that life recovered and diversified more quickly than previously thought.

20.   Telangana Government to set up rehabilitation centre at the cost of Rs 2.21 crore for monkeys--- pilot project at Chincholi, Hyderabad. The state capital Hyderabad is estimated to have a population of around 2,000 monkeys.

21.   Manamadurai­ – Rameswaram rail track to become first green corridor--and zero toilet discharge section. Nearly 114 km route between Rameswaram and Manmadurai in Tamil Nadu

·         All the trains passing on that particular route would have bio-­toilets which will prevent open discharge of waste on rail tracks.

·         There are about 14 stations between Rameswaram and Manmadurai. About 16 passenger trains use the track everyday.

·         ---Future Implementation :

·         Kanalus ­Dwarka­ Okha and Porbunder­ Wansjalya train routes in Gujarat will have zero toilet discharge sections.

·         Jammu ­Katra route will also be made a zero­ discharge section.

22. Rare sighting of Amur Falcon at the Umred Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary near the Pench Tiger Reserve at Nagpur

·      STATUS: LEAST CONCERN

·      It breeds in south-eastern Siberia and Northern China. It has one of the longest and most fascinating migratory paths in the avian kingdom circuiting North-eastern State of Nagaland, before passing through a staggering 22,000 km from there to South Africa then onto Mongolia and back to Nagaland.

·      It breeds in south-eastern Siberia and North-eastern China somewhere the Amur River distributes the Russian Far East and China. Amur Falcon falls under Least Concern category in IUCN List.

23.   World Wildlife Fund released report titled "Protecting People through Nature"

Report:

-        In 96 countries, around 229 natural and mixed World heritage sites including Western Ghats are facing Threats.

-        Indian sites, namely Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Sundarbans National Park, and the serial sites of Western Ghats are threatened by harmful activities such as mining.

-        Endangered species such as Asian elephants and vulnerable Indian bison in Western Ghats are threatened.

Extractive Threats: Threats due to oil & gas extraction and mining activities.

·         Sundarbans National Park and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary are facing non-extractive threats.

·         The non – extractive threats include dams, water use (unsustainable water use), Wood harvesting, Aquaculture (overfishing), Roads & Railways, Shipping lanes and Service lines.

·         WWF established in 1961; HQ: Switzerland. Headed by Marco Lambertini.

24. New Reef system found at AMAZON

25. Kohima declared Smoke-free City

26. “Sikkim” crowned as India’s First “Fully Organic State”

--By implementing organic practices. As per the guidelines laid down in National Programme for Organic Production,

75,000 hectares of agricultural land was gradually converted to certified organic land by implementing organic principles.

In this regard, entry of chemical inputs for farmland was restricted and their sale banned. Farmers therefore had no option but to go organic.

It will also boost the tourism industry in the tiny landlocked Himalayan state.

27. New Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies launched in New Delhi

-          El Salvador declares drought emergency for first time ever---Residents near by the capital city of San Salvador have protested because of water shortages in recent weeks.

-          River and water reserve levels have reached a critical state.

28.   The Union Cabinetchaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its nod for India adopting the statute of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) which will help in checking cross border wildlife crimes.

SAWEN for combating wildlife crimes:

§  SAWEN is a platform for its eight member countries to cooperatively work together in the fight against the burgeoning wildlife crime and its statute lays down an action plan for them to adopt and adhere in the next six years to check wildlife crime.

§  SAWEN comprises eight countries in South Asia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

29. World Bank initiated “Climate Action Plan”

HQ: Washington DC

§  Aim: to help nations to create an additional 30 gigawatts of renewable energy, early warning frameworks and in creating climate smart agriculture investment plans for at least 40 nations.---to be accomplished within 2020

§  The plan has been made on the sidelines of landmark Paris Climate Agreement in New York in order to protect the planet for future generations.

§  Key features of plan:

§  Increase sources of renewable energy.

§  Decrease in high-carbon energy sources.

§  Develop green transport systems.

§  Build sustainable, livable cities for growing urban populations.

§  The World Bank Action Plan is centered around helping nations to shape their national strategies and influence private sector investment.

30. Government notifies new hazardous waste management rules

--Rules emphasizes Government’s priority for Ease of Doing Business and Make in India, but with responsible concerns for sustainable development.

Items Banned in the Rules:

§  Waste edible fats and oil of animals

§  Household waste

§  Critical Care Medical equipment

§  Tyres for direct re-use purpose

§  Solid Plastic wastes including Pet bottles

§  Waste electrical and electronic assemblies scrap

§  Other chemical wastes especially in solvent form.

31. Ballast water conveying obtrusive species to Indian coasts

---Researchers expect that ballast water carried by ships is giving a vehicle to get non-native intrusive species over the Indian Coast.

-- The survey has found 10 invasive species in the biodiversity rich intertidal habitats of the Kerala coast including one seaweed, one species of bryozoan, one species of mollusc and seven species of ascidian.

32. World’s initiatory White Tiger Safari inaugurated in “Heart of India”---at Mukundpur in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh

§  --the safari is housing 3 white tigers, including one male named Raghu and two females, Vindhya and Radha and 2 Royal Bengal tigers. In the coming months it will house 9 white tigers.

§  --Governmnet also plans to establish a breeding centre for the white tigers in nearby Govindgarh.

§  ---The first white tiger was spotted in Madhya Pradesh’s Vindhya region, in which the Satna district falls, in 1915. It died in 1920.

§  In 1951, a white tiger cub, named Mohan, was captured. It became the forebear of all known white tigers in the world after the Rewa princely state’s ruler Maharaja Martand Singh arranged its breeding.

33.       Sand-eating Micrixalidae tadpoles species found in Western Ghats

§  ---These species named Micrixalidae belongs to the so-called Indian Dancing Frog family.

§  Discovered from the  deep recesses of stream beds

§  -Description: The tadpoles lack teeth; but have well-serrated jaw sheaths which helps them avoid large sand grains while feeding.Sand-eating Micrixalidae tadpoles species found in Western Ghats.

§  They have skin-covered eyes, which helps them to burrow through gravel beds.

§  It lives in total darkness that they are of fossorial nature and comes out after fully developing into a young frog.

34. New Snake species discovered in Western Ghats

Location: in Kolhapur and Sindhudurg

§  The new snake species belong to burrowing category which live mostly underground.

§  The snake is named after Pune-based herpetologist Neelimkumar Khaire to pay tribute to his contribution to the knowledge, appreciation and conservation of snakes in India.

§  The scientific name of the species is Melanophidium khairei while its common name is Khaire’s Black Shieldtail

§  The researchers have been under this study for more than 15 years since 2001 and the occurrence of this species was identified 144 years ago.

New snake species also been discovered in GUJARAT__-The new snake genus, Wallaceophis is named after Alfred Russel Wallace for his pioneering work on biogeography, and for co-discovering the theory of natural selection. The species has been named gujaratensis

35.   New species of tree frog named Ghatixalus magnus discovered in Western Ghats

A new species of tree frog was discovered and another species of bush frog was rediscovered in the Western Ghats.

§  The team discovered a new species of Rhacophorid tree frog of the genus Ghatixalus. The new species is named Ghatixalus magnus after its large size making it the biggest known tree frog from the Western Ghats.

Raorchestes flaviventris:

§  The team has also rediscovered a frog that had been evading for the past many decades. Raorchestes flaviventris is a species of rhacophorid bush frog described from the Western Ghats by George Albert Boulenger in 1882.

36. New tree frog genus named Frankixalus discovered in north-eastern India

--Indian biologist Sathyabhama Das Biju (Frogman of India) with his team has discovered a new genus of tree hole-breeding frogs named Frankixalus

Importance---This genus lives in pools of water in the trunks of canopy trees especially in tree holes.

These frogs eat their mother’s eggs for sustenance.

37.    

38. New bird species “Zoothera salimalii “discovered in India

§  A team of scientists from India, Sweden, China, the US and Russia discovered a new bird species, dubbed Himalayan Forest Thrush in northeastern India and adjacent parts of China.

§  Locally named:  Zoothera salimalii as an honour to Salim Ali, who made significant contributions to ornithology in India.

§  The species breeds from Sikkim and Darjeeling in India and extends into northwest Yunnan in China.

§  This is found in rocky habitats and has longer bill, shorter wings and shorter legs.

39. Four new crab species are located in Kerala

Location: Kerala Coast

(i)    Hermit crabs from Diogenidae family

§  --“left-handed hermit crabs” because the left claw is larger than the right. narrow bodied animal lives inside a shell shaped like an elephant tusk.

(ii)  Paguristes luculentus – It is a hermit crab species and represents the 9th of the genus from Indian waters.

§  luculentus (meaning colourful) refers to the livid living colour of the crustacean. It was collected off the coast of Kollam.

(iii)Diogenes canaliculatus – It is light brown in colour and named after the longitudinal furrows on the outer surface of the arm of the left chelate leg.

§  Hermit crab from Paguridae family

§  The Paguridae family is known for “right-handed hermit crabs”.

(iv)Pagurus spinossior – It is right handed crab and is tan in colour. The name spinossior refers to the strong armature on the clawed legs of the species. It was collected from Neendakara, Kollam.

§  Crab from Pinnotheridae family

§  The Pinnotheridae family is known for “tiny soft-bodied crabs”.

(v)  Afropinnotheres ratnakara – A new species of pinnotherid crab, was found inside the brown mussel (Perna perna) at Kovalam. The species was named ratnakara which means Indian Ocean in Sanskrit as the genus was reported for the first time from the Indian Ocean.

40. Asia most exposed to disasters, Africa most vulnerable: Study

---Asia has the largest number of people affected by natural disasters, but African countries are the most vulnerable to them, largely because of political instability, corruption, poverty and inequality, a new global assessment shows.

- Over 1.4 billion people in South Asia such as India, Bangladesh and Pakistan face at least one major threat from nature. In the case of Bangladesh, 100% of its population is exposed, compared to 82% for India and 70% in Pakistan.

41. Sundarbans becomes no-pollution zone

---to minimise carbon impression in the Sundarbans islands to ensure least possible damage to the ecosystem of the Sundarbans during this polling season

42. ‘Agasthyamala’ included among UNESCO’s new 20 Biosphere Reserves

§  Agasthyamala– the biosphere reserve shared by Kerala and Tamil Nadu has been placed in the new 20 Biosphere reserves list released by UNESCO.

§  Location: Western Ghats, in the south of India

Agasthyamala:

§  The Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve (ABR) was established in 2001 and is spread across the two states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

§  The Agasthyamala biosphere reserve includes peaks reaching 1,868 metres above sea level.

§  It consists mostly of tropical forests.

§  The site is home to 2,254 species of higher plants including about 400 endemic Species.

§  A number of tribal settlements with a total population of 3,000 are located in the (Agasthyamala) biosphere reserve

§  UNESCO’s new list.

** There are 18 biosphere reserves in India out of which only nine, including the Nilgiris, Nanda Devi, Nokrek, Gulf of Mannar, Sundarban, and Great Nicobar, had been included in the UNESCO’s network

43. UN appoints ‘Red’-the leader of angry birds as the Ambassador to Climate change

---The announcement was made as a part of the campaign launched to create awareness among the people regarding climate changes through the renown characters.

It asks people to make the angry birds happy by taking actions on climate change.

It is insisted to promote the hashtag #AngryBirdsHappyPlanet in the social media to spread the awareness.

Red will go on a virtual tour starting from Paris ending at New York.

The countries which met in Paris will sign the agreement on climate change in April,22 in 2016.

44.   4th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves inaugurated in Lima

Focus on : The event will focus on Sustainable Development Goals and the Post Development agenda of 2015.

Issues discussed:

§  Education for sustainable development.

§  The economic viability of nature conservation systems.

§  Human migrations and protection of natural resources.

45.   Uttar Pradesh government to launch a campaign to protect sparrows---The programme will be conducted at primary and secondary schools.

Name: The event has been named as ‘Gauraiya Diwas’.

Location: March 20 at Janeshwar Mishra park.

46. MOEFCC Has Classified Industries Based On Colour Based Index

Based on the Range of Pollution Index‘, industrial sectors have been categorized into four colours category- Red, White, Green and Orange.

(i)    Red category: PI score of 60 and above. These are severe polluting industries. It includes sugar, thermal power plants, paints.

(ii)  Orange category: PI score of 41 to 59. They moderately polluting industries. It includes coal, automobile servicing and washeries.

(iii)Green category: PI score of 21 to 40. They are significantly low polluting industries. Totally there are 63 industries in it.

(iv)White category: PI score below and upto 20. They are non-polluting industries. These industries do not require Environmental clearance for their functioning

47. Sea sponge probably the first animal to have evolved in Earth

-Courtesy: research in MIT

§  Scientists found trace of rare molecules from a fossil dated before Cambrian explosion which occurred 540 million years agoEarth's first animal.

§  The rare molecule 24-Isopropylcholesterol was found to be present in sea sponges probably making it to be the first evolved organism.

§  The theory was proved by a research which analysed which gene was responsible for producing 24-IPC and which organisms contained it. a special gene known as sterol methyl transferase (SMT),can cause an organism to produce 24-IPC if present in correct number of copies was found.--this gene was present in sea sponges and algae. 

§  BUT< However an evolutionary tree further showed Sea sponges produced the gene much earlier than Algae.

48.   Committee formed in Nashik to Rejuvenate Godavari---leadership of Deepak Naik

49. Environment Minister launches envis portal

---Environment Information System (ENVIS) is a ministry initiative for integrating country-wide efforts in environment -related information collection, collation, storage, and dissemination.

The ENVIS network presently consists of 69 centres, of which 29 are hosted by environment departments of various state governments while 40 are operated by environment-related government and non-governmental organisations.

50. Peacock, India’s National Bird, Could Be Termed Vermin In Goa

They cause brutal damage to crops like monkey and wild boars and therefore declared Vermin.

Peacock is a protected species under the Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

The step is taken after compiling the record of the complaints received from farmers of crop destruction by these animals.

51. World Wetland Day

Theme:  Wetlands for our Future – Sustainable Livelihoods”.

Wetland Day marks the date of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands, called the Ramsar Convention, on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea.

52. Project Green Ports” launched to Reduce Pollution

AIM:  aimed at reducing the pollution levels at ports and managing the sewage treatment at ports.

The project has two verticals viz. Green Ports Initiative and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

It will also look at the shortfalls of oil spill response facilities, which will prohibit the disposal of garbage at sea.

53. Zinnia: The first ever flower grown in space

§  Event: finally bloomed in outer space. The flower was grown as part of an experiment astronauts are conducting on how plants grow in microgravity.

§  Installed  in early May 2014.The flowers appear similar to those grown on Earth, except for the curled edges of the petals, which could be due to the zero-gravity conditions. This has also paved the way for flowering crops such as tomatoes to be grown in space.

§  The system, according to scientists, uses red, blue and green LED lights to simulate sunlight, making the successful growth of the flower.

54.      U.S. listed Indian Lion in “endangered” species

§  ---The United States will place a breed of lion found in India and Africa in the endangered species list in a bid to curb the dramatic decline of their population.

§  There are only about 1,400 of Panthera leo leo lions remaining, 900 in 14 African populations and 523 in India.

§  The other subspecies of Panthera leo melanochaita likely numbers between 17,000 and 19,000. This subspecies is less vulnerable and is not currently in danger of extinction.

§  In the last 20 years, lion populations have declined by 43% due to habitat loss, loss of prey base and retaliatory killing of lions by a growing human population.

55. Country’s biggest wildlife rescue centre commissioned in Maharashtra

--Gorewada Zoo and Wildlife Rescue Centre at Gorewada near Nagpur, Maharashtra.

§  The rescue centre will house sick, injured and rescued animals. There are four wards with a burial ground on the same premises. The idea has been taken from Gir Forest National park and Wild life sanctuary, Gujarat.

56.   Scientists find new species of horned dinosaur

LOCATION_--@same fossil beds in China’s Xinjiang province where the robust and heavily built Hualianceratops was discovered in 2002 by the same team.

Name of the NEW species: belonging to the ceratopsia family

§  Finding these two species in the same fossil beds reveals there was more diversity there than previously recognised.

§  The ceratopsian dinosaurs already had diversified into at least four lineages by the beginning of the Jurassic Period.

§  Hualianceratops lived approximately 160 million years ago

57. Phases in GANGA rejuvenation:

Cleaning work of Ganga divided into different segments:

§  Gomukh to Haridwar

§  Haridwar to Kanpur

§  Kanpur to border of Uttar Pradesh

§  Border of Uttar Pradesh to border of Jharkhand

§  Border of Jharkhand to Bay of Bengal

58. Glaciers in Mount Everest shrink 28% in 40 years: Report

--The shrinking glaciers have resulted in swelling glacial lakes and higher river levels.

Earlier in May, a group of international researchers had warned that the estimated 5,500 glaciers in the Hindu Kush- Himalayan (HKH) region site of many of the world’s tallest peaks including Mount Everest could reduce their volume by 70-99% by 2100.

59. 8 different biomes to be monitored through I-LTEO programme

--India has launched the Indian Long Term Ecological Observatories (I-LTEO) programme

AIM: scientifically monitor 8 different biomes (natural landscapes) across the country.

The initiative was launched on the sidelines of the Conference of Parties-21 (COP-21) of UNFCCC in Paris.

It aims to identify and monitor targeted socio-ecological challenges and help build capacity within India. The studies under the programme will indicate the need for imminent adaptation measures.

§  Training – Under this programme, students and young scientists will also be trained through sustained long-term support for research in the area of climate change.

§  Own data base – It will help the country to have its own scientific data-base in this key area without depending on studies done abroad.

§  Coverage – The new initiative will cover all the major biomass of the country from Western Himalayas to Western Ghats, Eastern Himalayas to Andaman & Nicobar Islands, central India to the Sunderbans and from Jammu & Kashmir to Rajasthan and Gujarat.

§  Scientific monitoring – Long term scientific monitoring of the natural landscapes, water resources, grasslands, mammals, birds, fishes and insects will also be carried out.

§  Climate affect – The focus would be on the patterns of how changes in climate are affecting natural and closely associated human systems of agriculture and pastoralism.

**The work on LTEO Programme is being done in a number of developed and developing countries. India too was doing it but was restricted to only one place in the country – a 50 hectare plot at Mudumalai which has been monitored for over the past 30 years by the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

60. Uttar Pradesh Government launches first International festival on Birds

Purpose: To promote the collection of bird species in Uttar Pradesh

§  LOCATION: @National Chambal Sanctuary: It is a protected tri-state area that accommodates critically endangered species such as Gharial (small crocodiles), the Red-crowned Roof Turtle and the endangered Ganges River Dolphin.

§  Location: Along the Chambal River, falls in the tri-point of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

61. FSI – India’s forest & tree cover increased by 5081 sq km

---It is based on interpretation of LISS III sensor data of indigenous Resourcesat – II satellite.

Forest & Tree cover – Country’s total forest and tree cover is 42 million hectares (ha), which is 24.16% of the total geographical area.

§  Increased are---(i) Open Forest area : which is 14% of the geographical area. and (II) Very Dense Forest --which is 61% of the geographical area.

§  States: Maximum increase – Tamil Nadu has the maximum increase in forest cover >> Kerala >> Jammu and Kashmir

§  Largest FC: Madhya Pradesh > Arunachal Pradesh? Chattisgrah

§  Highest FC: Mizoram> Lakshwadeep

Steps by GOI--

 several steps to combat pollution and has held four meetings with Environment Ministers of states of the National Capital Region (NCR) and all concerned agencies of these states.Government was planning to implement Bharat IV norms by 2017, Bharat V norms by 2019 and Bharat VI norms by the year 2021.

*Forest Cover Stands at Twenty One Per Cent of Total Geographical Area of the Country

62.   “Mission Innovation” launched for accelerating clean energy revolution

-        Location---During United Nations Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP21) in Paris World leaders of 20 countries

-        Tagline – “Accelerating the Clean Energy Revolution”

-        To reinvigorate and accelerate global clean energy and to make clean energy widely affordable

-        AIM: 20 countries committed to double their respective clean energy research and development over the 5 years to 2020.

-        As part of Mission Innovation, each of the countries involved will seek to double its governmental or state-directed clean energy research and development investment over the next 5 years.

63. India joins UK, Australia to help poor nations combat climate change

64. Union Government to roll out BS V norms from April 1, 2019

---Govt has advanced the date for implementation of the roll out of Bharat Stage (BS) stage V and VI norms for four-wheelers by 3 years.

PAST: BS-V norms were to implemented from April 1, 2022 and BS-VI which aim at substantial reduction in NOx/4C levels from April 1, 2024 but now it’s 2019 and 2021

Currently there are 4 standards of Bharat stage (BS) norms have been issued by government with prescribed limit on the release of pollutants. Issued BS standards are as follows:

§  BS-I Euro 1 2000

§  BS-II Euro 2 2005

§  BS-III Euro 3 2010

§  BS-IV Euro 4 2015 (63 cities till 1 April 2015)

65. 5 New long-haired wasp species discovered in India

--Name of the five species : adikeshavus.

The Sanskrit word means first one to have long hairs.

Features:

§  They have long hair-like structures that extend from both of their wings.

§  These wasps have a keen preference for spider eggs. They are often found feeding on the medium-sized eggs of common spiders.

§  Their slippery haired wings allow them to slip through the silk strands of the spider egg sacs that are stored in leaf litter by spiders.

§  Each wasp has a uniform length of 1 to 2 milimetre and are found in clusters.

§  The discovery has inspired biologists to yield large number of parasitoids to destroy spider eggs.

66. Vulture reintroduction programme launched in Haryana

--Among them.  two Himalayan Griffons, which were brought as sick birds.

The rest were all white-backed vultures, of which six were hatched in captivity at the centre and are of two-three years of age. The other two were adult birds rescued from the wild about ten years.

Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre, run by Haryana Wild Life Department and the Forest Department

67.   Ketoprofen” non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is used for veterinary purposes has got banned by Tamil Nadu Govt in Erode, Coimbatore and The Nilgiris, the areas having endangered vulture population.

Reason: Ketoprofen was used as an alternative of veterinary painkiller Diclofenac which was banned by the Central Government as it was proved that presence of Diclofenac in carcasses of the cattle led the vulture population to slow death.

Substitute: Meloxica

68. Green Indian Mission plans approved for 4 states

---Kerala, Mizoram, Manipur and Jharkhand

AIM: to protect restore and enhance India’s diminishing forest cover and to take adequate measure to tackle with the issue of climate change.

69.   India’s first Dolphin Community Reserve to come up in West Bengal---The reserve would be set up in the Hooghly River between Malda and Sundarbans as per provisions of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

70. Programme for the Conservation of Eastern Hoolock Gibbon Launched

Location--Arunachal Pradesh

§  It’s a community and school-based education program on conservation of the endangered Eastern Hoolock Gibbon.

§  @ Arunachal’s Lower Dibang Valley district in the state and at Sadiya sub-division under Assam’s Tinsukia district.

§  BY: ENVIRON, an NGO based on North East(NE) associated with state’s environment and forest department with Aitijya (The Heritage) as partner.

71. 200 New Species Discovered in Himalayas

--As per the report by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) 200 new species discovered in the Eastern Himalayas which includes 133 plants, 26 species of fish, 10 new amphibians, one reptile, one bird and one mammal.

Important among them are the following---

§  Snub-nosed monkey that sneezes when it rains

§  Vibrant blue dwarf “walking” snakehead fish which can breathe atmospheric air and survive on land for up to four days.

§  Striking blue-eyed frog.

§  Lance-headed pit viper snake with an ornate yellow, red and orange pattern.

§  Fresh-water “dracula” fish with fangs.

§  Three new types of bananas.

72.   Nine new species of wild mushrooms discovered in Sikkim--Out of nine, Canthrellus sikkimensis is edible and consumed by the local people.

Location:  in the subalpine region, the Singba Rhododendron Sanctuary and adjoining areas of North Sikkim.

73.   World’s Oldest fossil sea turtle discovered--25 million years older fossil found in South America.More than six feet long, the turtle, Desmatochelys padillai sp, lived around 120 million years ago.

74.   First-ever Census on India’s Leopard presented---The census had been taken around tiger habitants across the country except the North-East.Based on these numbers, we estimate India’s total leopard population to be in the range of 12,000 to 14,000”

75. NASA’s SERVIR-Mekong project for Five Southeast Asian Countries

AIM: to strengthen regional environmental monitoring in five countries of Southeast Asia namely Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

SERVIR: SERVIR is a Spanish term that means to serve.

SERVIR was developed in coordination with the Group on Earth Observations, an alliance of more than 90 nations collaborating to build a global Earth-observing system to benefit society’s needs.

PROJECT: It was launched in the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center in Bangkok, Thailand.

76. International climate office to be set up in Pune

AIM:  for implementation of intra-seasonal, seasonal and inter-annual variability and predictability of monsoon systems.

77.   Flamingo Sanctuary in Maharashtra---Thane Creek. Declared as per the provisions of Section 18 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.. The adjoining MANGROVE areas of the either side of the creek withh be the eco sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Sanctuary

This is Maharashtra;s SECOND Sanctuary after the MALVAN (marine) wildlife Sanctuary (declared on 1987)

78. Inter state panel for wildlife protection

Member states: Kerala, TN, An Pradesh, telengana, puducherry and Karnataka

79.  Inter linking of rivers

§  The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has formulated a National Perspective Plan (NPP) for Water Resources Development in the year 1980 envisaging inter-basin transfer of water from surplus basins to deficit basins/areas

§  identified 30 links under the NPP.

§  So far, based on the concurrence of the concerned States, Detailed Project Reports (DPR) for Ken-Betwa link (Phase-I & Phase-II), Damanganga – Pinjal Links of NPP have been completed by NWDA

80.   Biggest Tiger reserve by area----NAGARJUN sagar Srisailam Tiger reserve  (AP< telengana)> Manas (Assam)> Indravati (Chattisgarh) Smallest by area: Bori Satpura TR in Madhya Pradesh

81.   Largest Biosphere reserve ___: Great Rann of Kutch > Gulf of Mannar> Sunderbans

82. List of CRITICALLY engendered BIRDS of India

(i)                White bellied heron;

(ii)              Great Indian Bustard

(iii)            Forest Owlet

(iv)            Baer’s poachard

(v)              Spoon Billed Sandpiper

(vi)            Siberian Crane

(vii)          White rumped Vulture; Indian Vulture: Slender Billed vulture; Red headed Vulture

(viii)        Bengal Florican

(ix)             Himalayan Quail

(x)               Jerdons; Courser

(xi)             Pink headed Duck

(xii)           Sociable lapwing and (xiii) Bugun Liochichla

83. Critically Endangered MAMMALS in India

84.   MARINE PARKS of India---

(i)                Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park:  Tamil Nadu

§   It stretches for 160 km between Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) and Dhanushkodi.

§   It consists of 21 small islands (islets) and adjacent coral reefs in the Gulf of Mannar in the Indian Ocean.

§   It is the core area of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve which includes a 10 km buffer zone around the park.

§   The park has a high diversity of plants and animals in its marine, intertidal and near shore habitats.

(ii)              Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park: Wandoor on the Andaman Islands.

Area: 281.5 km²

§  Consists of 15 islands and the open sea creeks running through the area.

§  There is a chance for ecotourism on the islands Jolly Buoy and Red Skin which are open during some seasons offering glass bottom boats, scuba diving and snorkeling as a way to see the park's coral reefs and marine life.

(iii)            Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch--Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat.

Area: 270 km2

§  First national marine park of India.

§  There are 42 islands on the Jamnagar coast in the Marine National Park, most of them surrounded by reefs.

§  The best known island is Pirotan.

(iv)            Rani Jhansi Marine National Park-- Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Area: 256.14 km²

85. World heritage sites—Natural sites

86. Eco regions of India

1)     Andaman Islands rain forests

2)     Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests

3)     Central Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests

4)     Central Tibetan Plateau alpine steppe

5)     Chhota-Nagpur dry deciduous forests

6)     Chhota-Nagpur dry deciduous forests

7)     Deccan thorn scrub forests

8)     East Deccan dry-evergreen forests

9)     Eastern highlands moist deciduous forests

10) Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows

11) Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests

12) Godavari-Krishna mangroves

13) Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests

14) Himalayan subtropical pine forests

15) Indus River Delta-Arabian Sea mangroves

16) Karakoram-West Tibetan Plateau alpine steppe

17) Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests

18) Lower Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests

19) Malabar Coast moist forests

20) Maldives-Lakshadweep-Chagos Archipelago tropical moist forests

21) Meghalaya subtropical forests

22) Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin rain forests

23) Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests

24) Nicobar Islands rain forests

25) North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests

26) North Western Ghats montane rain forests

27) Northeast India-Myanmar pine forests

28) North-eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests

29) Northern dry deciduous forests

30) North-western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows

31) North-western thorn scrub forests

32) Odisha semi-evergreen forests

33) Rann of Kutch seasonal salt marsh

34) South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests

35) South Western Ghats montane rain forests

36) Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests

37) Sundarbans mangroves

38) Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands

39) Thar desert

40) Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests

41) Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows

42) Western Himalayan broadleaf forests

43) Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests

97. Disastrous tropical cyclones

·         Hudhud-2014-Andhra Pradesh, Odisha

·         Lehar-2013-Andhra Pradesh

·         Phailin-2013-Odisha

·         Madi-2013-Tamil Nadu

·         Helen-2013-Andhra Pradesh

·         Nilam-2012-Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh

·         Thane-2011-Tamil Nadu

·         Laila-2010-Andhra Pradesh

END