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Olive Ridley Turtles

Syllabus subtopic: Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.   Prelims and Mains focus: about Olive Ridley Turtles and steps taken for their conservation; about IUCN   News: Preparations are almost done at the Rushikulya rookery on the Odisha coast to welcome and protect Olive ridley turtles during mass nesting. Odisha has half of the world’s Olive Ridley turtle population and 90% of India’s turtle population lives i

24 February, 2020 Wild life

Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary

Syllabus subtopic: Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.   Prelims and Mains focus: about MM wildlife sanctuary and the tiger reserves mentioned; about NTCA   News: Decks have been cleared to notify the Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar district as a tiger reserve. The approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is expected any time now.   Background St

24 February, 2020 Wild life

Migratory species in India

Syllabus subtopic: Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.   Prelims and Mains focus: about the new list of migratory species; about CMS; about ZSI   News: With new additions to the wildlife list put out by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), scientists say that the total number of migratory fauna from India comes to 457 species. Birds comprise 83% (380 species) of this figure.   Backgroun

02 March, 2020 Wild life

Red Panda and IUCN

Red Panda Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Environment Hunting of Red Panda has decreased as per study by wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC, indicative of the success of awareness campaigns. Red panda is endemic to the temperate forests of the Himalayas. Native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It is arboreal, feeds mainly on bamboo, but also eats eggs, birds, and insects Habitat: Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Wes

09 March, 2020 Wild life

Central Zoo Authority

Context: The death of Kalpana, a white tigress in Delhi zoo, on Wednesday had set alarm bells ringing. However, the Ministry for Environment, Forests and Climate Change clarified late on Friday evening that the tigress died of renal failure and other complications related to old age. With nine big cats in New York's Bronx zoo having tested positive for COVID-19, forestry and zoo authorities across India have been extra cautious about keeping the infection away from fauna. Elsewhere

25 April, 2020 Wild life

Turtle – Threats

Turtle – Threats In an attempt to raise awareness on conservation of tortoise and turtles, and on illegal trafficking, May 23 is celebrated as World Turtle Day. In addition to smuggling, turtles face a variety of man-made issues that threaten their existence. One major threat, as with all other animal species, is habitat destruction. As rivers become more and more polluted, the turtles are beginning to die off at greater rates. The hatchlings are born deformed; adults a

10 May, 2020 Wild life

Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia)-Murder Hornet

Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia)-Murder Hornet The Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) has arrived in North America. This insect has attacked honeybees: it crawls into hives and rips off the heads of bees in large numbers—making its supervillain nickname, “murder hornet,” feel disturbingly apt. Government agencies and local beekeepers have sprung into action, hoping to eradicate the hornet before it can consolidate a foothold in the continent. Success may lie in

10 May, 2020 Wild life

Sal forest tortoise 

Sal forest tortoise  The sal forest tortoise is widely distributed over eastern and northern India and Southeast Asia. However, it is not common in any of this terrain. In fact, 23 of the 29 species of freshwater turtle and tortoise species found in India come under the threatened category in the IUCN red list and are under severe existential threat due to human activities. IUCN Category Also known as the elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata), the sal forest tortoise, rece

10 May, 2020 Wild life

Mudumalai Tiger Reserve

Mudumalai Tiger Reserve Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) is situated at the tri-junction of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. The reserve straddles the Ooty -Mysore interstate national highway. It is contiguous with Wyanaad Wildlife Sanctuary on the west, Bandipur Tiger Reserve on the north.                     The Moyar river flows downstream into the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and is the natural line of division between Muduma

18 June, 2020 Wild life

Gynandromorphism

Gynandromorphism Recently, a rare biological phenomenon i.e. Gynandromorphism has been spotted in a dragonfly, the Scarlet Skimmer (Crocothemis servilia), which is found in the Kole wetlands, Kerala. The dragonfly had both male and female characteristics. ImpPoints Gynandromorphism is a characteristic of an organism that contains both male and female tissues and characteristics. Such organisms are also called gynandromorphs. The term is

30 June, 2020 Wild life

Central Zoo Authority

Central Zoo Authority The CZA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It was constituted in 1992 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. It is chaired by the Environment Minister and has 10 members and a member-secretary. The main objectives of the authority are To complement and strengthen the national effort in conservation of rich biodiversity. The authority provides recognition to zoos and is also tasked with regulating the zoos acro

11 July, 2020 Wild life

Tetrastemma Freyae

Tetrastemma Freyae Recently, researchers have identified a new species of marine invertebrate i.e. 'Tetrastemma Freyae', found along the coast of Tamil Nadu. It feeds on dead and decaying material and helps to recycle nutrients in coastal and deep water sediments. It is associated with sediments and is predatory as it has a role in maintaining the food chain. It uses its proboscis, similar to a butterfly which does to collect nectar. It has neurotoxins in its proboscis which co

13 July, 2020 Wild life

Ophiocordyceps Nutans

Ophiocordyceps Nutans Recently, researchers have found Ophiocordyceps nutans (fungi) for the first time in central India, at the Kanger Valley National Park in Bastar, Chhattisgarh. Earlier, these have been reported in India only from the Western Ghats. Ophiocordyceps nutans host on a specific insect, Halyomorpha halys. Halyomorpha halys is commonly known as the stink bug and is a pest to forest trees and agricultural crops. The stink bug is known to damage the flower and fruits of soy

13 July, 2020 Wild life

4th cycle of All India Tiger Estimation

29 July, 2019 Wild life

7 new species of insects that can walk on water discovered

26 August, 2019 Wild life

Government to develop a master plan for Tigers at High altitude

05 September, 2019 Wild life

13th COP to the Convention on Migratory Species

17 February, 2020 Wild life

Measures to Control COVID19 transmission from humans to animals

06 April, 2020 Wild life