SPECIES IN NEWS

American Bumblebee

• Context:
  • According to US Fish and Wildlife Services, the American bumblebee population has decreased by 89% in the past 20 years, and it could be declared as an “endangered species”.
• About:
  • This species is scientifically called Bombus pensylvanicus.
  • The species live and nest in open farmland & fields.
  • It feeds on food plants like sunflowers & clovers.
  • It is a threatened species of bumblebee and is native to North America. It is also found in eastern Canada, eastern United States, and Mexico.
• Reasons for Decline:
  • According to CBD, the population of American bumblebees has declined due to habitat destruction, climate change, exposure to disease & pesticides, loss of genetic diversity along with competition with non-native bees.

Mumbai blind eel

• Context:
  • A new species of swamp eel was discovered from a well in Mumbai. 
• About:
  • The eel is called Rakthamichthys Mumba, the Mumbai blind eel. 
  • It belongs to the genus Rakthamicthys that is endemic to India.
  • This is the fifth species from the genus to be described from India.
  • Unlike other species of its genus, the mumba lacks eyes, fins and scales, has jaws equal in forwarding extent, different gill aperture, crescentic-shaped cephalic. 
  • This is the first completely blind subterranean freshwater fish species to be described from Maharashtra and the Northern western Ghats. 

Indian Peafowl

• Context:
  • Recently, a man was hit by a peafowl in Kerala after which he died. This incident has turned the spotlight on the increasing population of Indian peafowl in the state.
• About:
  • The collective name for peacocks is peafowl. The male of the variety is called a peacock and the female peafowl is called a peahen.
  • The Indian peacock is also the National Bird of India.
  • Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) belongs to the Phasianidae family. They are among the largest of all birds that fly.
  • Phasianidae is the pheasant family, a bird family that includes among its members the jungle fowl (from which the domestic chicken is descended), partridge, peacock, pheasant, and quail.
• The two most-recognizable species of peafowl are:
  • The blue, or Indian, peacock of India and Sri Lanka.
  • The green or Javanese, peacock (P. muticus) found from Myanmar (Burma) to Java.
• Habitat:
  • The Indian peafowl is a native of India and some parts of Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
  • The species are currently habituated more in central Kerala, followed by southeast and northwest parts of the state.
  • At least 19% of the states’ area is suitable habitat for this species and this may increase by 40-50% by 2050.
  • They are well adapted to living in forest edges and cultivated areas.
• Concerns:
  • They are a threat to paddy farmers in Kerala. They destroy its seeds and cause man-animal conflict.
  • Agriculture expansion and deforestation have caused other species to ‘invade human territory’.
  • The growing population of peafowl signals climate change. They are known to grow and thrive in dry conditions.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN: Least Concern
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

Javan Gibbon

• Context:
  • Indonesia is taking steps to protect the habitat of Javan Gibbon (Hylobates moloch), which is endangered by climate change and human encroachment.
  • The species is also hunted for both meat and pet trade.
• About:
  • The silvery gibbon, also known as the Javan gibbon, is a primate. They are found in groups only, usually in a pair of two.
  • It is endemic to the Indonesian island of Java, where it inhabits undisturbed rainforests up to an altitude of 2,450 m.
  • It helps in regenerating forest vegetation by dispersing seeds.
  • There are around 4,000 Javan gibbons left.
  • It was declared Critically Endangered in 2004 but since has recovered to the status of Endangered as per the IUCN criterion. However, the latest IUCN estimate shows that their population is decreasing.
• Habitat:
  • The Javan Gibbon wild population is only found in Java, Indonesia.
  • It is not found in India (The hoolock gibbon is the only gibbon found in India).
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN: Endangered (EN)
  • CITES: Appendix I

Red Sanders 

• Context:
  • The Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) recently apprehended one of the most wanted red sanders smuggling operatives with alleged ties to global syndicates.
• What Is Red Sanders?
  • Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) are prized for their vibrant colour and medicinal benefits.
  • It's in considerable demand across Asia, especially in China and Japan, for usage in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, as well as furniture, woodcraft, and musical instruments.
  • Red Sanders prefer rocky, deteriorated, and fallow lands with Red Soil, as well as a hot and dry climate.
  • The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed it as Near Threatened.
  • The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora lists it in Appendix II.
  • It is one of the endangered wood species found in the Andhra Pradesh districts of Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool, and Nellore.

Dhole or Asiatic Wild Dog

• Context:
  • A recent study has identified some priority talukas/tehsils where habitats can be consolidated to enhance population connectivity for the dhole or Asiatic Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus).
• About Dhole:
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule II (Absolute protection – offences under these are prescribed the highest penalties.)
  • IUCN: Endangered
  • The dhole is a canid native to Central, South, East Asia, and Southeast Asia.
  • India perhaps supports the largest number of dholes, with key populations found in three landscapes — Western Ghats, Central India and Northeast India.
  • It is a highly social animal, living in large clans without rigid dominance hierarchies and containing multiple breeding females.
• Their significance:
  • Dholes play an important role as apex predators in forest ecosystems.
  • Factors contributing to this decline include habitat loss, loss of prey, competition with other species, persecution due to livestock predation and disease transfer from domestic dogs.

Fishing Cat

• Context:
  • The Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance will be starting a worldwide month-long campaign. It will raise awareness and garner support across the globe for the conservation of the Fishing Cat.
• About:
  • The scientific Name is Prionailurus viverrinus.
  • It is twice the size of a house cat.
  • The fishing cat is nocturnal (active at night) and apart from fish also preys on frogs, crustaceans, snakes, birds, and scavenges on carcasses of larger animals.
  • The species breed all year round.
  • They spend most of their lives in areas of dense vegetation close to water bodies and are excellent swimmers.
• Habitat:
  • They are found in South and Southeast Asia. In Cambodia, images of fishing cats are found carved in the walls of ancient structures and are known as Kla Trey, ‘Tiger fish’.
  • In India, they are found in the:
    • Foothills of the Himalayas along the Ganga and Brahmaputra river valleys and in the Western Ghats.
    • Patchy distribution along the Eastern Ghats.
    • Sundarbans in West Bengal and Bangladesh
    • Chilika lagoon and surrounding wetlands in Odisha
    • Coringa and Krishna mangroves in Andhra Pradesh.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
  • CITES: Appendix II
  • Indian Wildlife Protection Act,1972: Schedule I
• Threats:
  • Wetland degradation and conversion for aquaculture and other commercial projects, sand mining along river banks, agricultural intensification resulting in loss of riverine buffer, and conflict with humans in certain areas resulting in targeted hunting and retaliatory killings.
• Conservation Initiatives:
  • In 2012, the West Bengal government officially declared the Fishing Cat as the State Animal
  • Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance:
  • It is a team of conservationists, researchers, working to achieve a world with functioning floodplains and coastal ecosystems.
  • It will ensure the survival of the fishing cat and all species with which it shares a home.
  • Recently, the Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance has initiated a study of the biogeographical distribution of the fishing cat in the unprotected and human-dominated landscapes of the northeastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh.

Giant Leatherback turtles

• Context:
  • Recently, the proposals for tourism and port development in the Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands have conservationists worried over the fate of the nesting populations of the Giant Leatherback turtle.
• About:
  • It is the largest of the seven species of sea turtles on the planet.
  • Giant Leatherback turtles are named for their shell. Their shells are leather-like rather than hard, like other turtles.
  • It is the most long-ranging turtle which is found in all the oceans except the Arctic and the Antarctic Oceans.
  • They nest only in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands within the Indian Ocean.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Status: Vulnerable
  • India’s Wildlife Protection Act,1972: Schedule I
• The large numbers of Giant Leatherback Turtle have been recorded nesting on the long and wide beaches at the mouth of the Dagmar and Alexandira Rivers on the west coast and at the mouth of the Galathea River along its southeastern coast.
• Unlike their reptilian relatives, leatherbacks are able to maintain warm body temperatures in cold water by using a unique set of adaptations that allows them to both generate and retain body heat.

Koala

• Context:
  • Koala gets a new lease on life with a prosthetic foot made by an Australian dentist.
• About:
  • The Scientific Name is Phascolarctos cinereus.
  • It is an Australian animal, often called the koala bear.
  • They are marsupials (mammals with a pouch for the development of offspring).
  • Their fur (hair) is more like the coarse wool of a sheep. They have two toes that are fused together on their feet, which they use to comb their fur.
• Habitat:
  • Eucalyptus forests of southeastern and eastern Australia.
  • Koalas rely on the eucalyptus tree for both habitat and food.
  • IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable
• Conservation:
  • Caring and rehabilitating the injured.
  • Building koala sanctuaries and reserves.
  • Saving eucalyptus trees and planting new ones.
  • Researching about koala genetics, mating choices, and health.
  • The Koala Conservation Plan by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia.
  • It is the first independent-of-government national strategy to save koalas from extinction.
• Threats:
  • Hunting for their fur.
  • Habitat loss due to land clearing, logging, and bushfires.
  • Threats of predation and road accidents

Black-Necked Crane

• Context:
  • Recently, a group of Buddhist monks in Tawang district has opposed the Arunachal Pradesh government’s renewed push for hydropower projects.
• About
  • Both the sexes are almost of the same size but the male is slightly bigger than the female.
  • The upper long neck, head, primary and secondary flight feathers, and tail are completely black and body plumage is pale gray/whitish.
  • A conspicuous red crown adorns the head.
  • The juveniles have a brownish head and neck and plumage is slightly paler than that of an adult.
• Habitat and Breeding Grounds:
  • The high altitude wetlands of the Tibetan plateau, Sichuan (China), and eastern Ladakh (India) are the main breeding ground of the species, the birds spend winter at lower altitudes.
  • In Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh, it only comes during the winters.
• In Arunachal Pradesh, it can be seen in three areas:
  • Sangti valley in West Kameng district.
  • Zemithang in Tawang district.
  • Chug valley in Tawang district.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Near Threatened
  • CITES Appendix I
  • Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I.
• Special Significance:
  • The bird is revered by the community of Monpas (a major Buddhist ethnic group of Arunachal Pradesh) as an embodiment of the sixth Dalai Lama (Tsangyang Gyatso).
  • Monpas who inhabit the West Kameng and Tawang districts are essentially Buddhists who follow the Mahayana sect.
• Threats:
  • Damage to the eggs and chicks, caused by feral dogs.
  • Loss of habitat due to human pressure (Development Projects) on the wetlands

Coelacanth

• Context:
  • Recently, a group of paleontologists has discovered fossils of the coelacanth, a giant fish regarded as an iconic example of a “living fossil.” The discovered fossil of Coelacanth is believed to be 66 million years old belonging to the Cretaceous era.
• About:
  • Coelacanths are elusive, deep-sea creatures, living in depths up to 2,300 feet below the surface.
  • These were thought to have gone extinct with the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. But its discovery in 1938 started a debate about how this lobe-finned fish fits into the evolution of land animals.
• Two Species:
  • There are only two known species of coelacanths: one that lives near the Comoros Islands off the east coast of Africa, and one found in the waters off Sulawesi, Indonesia.
• Living Fossil
  • Living Fossil is an organism that has remained unchanged from earlier geologic times and whose close relatives are usually extinct. Other than Coelacanth, Horseshoe crab and ginkgo trees are examples of living fossils.
  • However, in their new study, paleontologists have found that Coelacanths gained 62 new genes through encounters with other species 10 million years ago. This suggests that they are actually evolving, albeit slowly.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
  • Sulawesi Coelacanth is listed as ‘vulnerable.
  • CITES Status: Appendix I.

Caracal

• Context:
  • The National Board for Wildlife and Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change included the caracal in the list of critically endangered species.
  • The recovery programme for critically endangered species in India now includes 22 wildlife species.
• National Board for Wildlife: 
  • This statutory body is constituted under the Wildlife Protection Act (WLPA), 1972.
  • It is chaired by the Prime Minister and reviews all wildlife-related matters. The NBWL has 47 members including the chairperson. Among these, 19 members are ex-officio members. Every new government constitutes a new board, based on the provisions of the WLPA, with the new PM as the chair.
  • It is supposed to meet twice a year.
• About Caracal:
  • The caracal is a medium-sized wildcat found in parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The iconic ears are what give the animal its name.
  • In India, it is called Siya gosh, a Persian name that translates as ‘black Ear’.
  • Though found across Africa, the Middle East, Central, and South Asia, its numbers in Asia are declining.
  • Its fossil evidence has been found in the Indus valley civilization and it was used for hunting during the medieval period by rulers such as Firoz Shah Tughlaq and Akbar. They were traditionally valued for their litheness and extraordinary ability to catch birds in flight.
• Conservation Status:
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
• IUCN Red List: Least Concern
• CITES: Appendix I
• What is the present status?
  • Since the caracal is an elusive and nocturnal animal their sightings are not common.
  • There is no proper data regarding their population due to a lack of sightings. 
  • Experts estimate that there are only 50 or odd individuals left in India.
  • Historically it lived in 13 states but now since 2001, it was sighted only in 3 states.
• What might be the reasons for the decline of the caracal population?
  • The caracal is rarely hunted or killed — in recent years, cases have been detected of the animal being captured to be sold as exotic pets.
  • Loss of habitat and increasing urbanisation is another cause. It affects the animal’s prey which includes small ungulates and rodents.
  • Areas like Chambal ravines where caracal is found are tagged as wastelands.  Land and environment policies are not geared towards the preservation of such wasteland ecology, rather they seek to ‘reclaim’ these areas to make them arable.
• What are the benefits of critically endangered status?
  • It is expected to bring central funding to conservation efforts.
  • It will ensure that the animal is studied comprehensively for the first time, including its home range, population, prey, etc.
  • Such a study will also throw light on the much neglected “wastelands” in the country.

Snow leopards

• Context:
• A study by wildlife officials and Nature Conservation Foundation reports that the Himachal’s hilly terrain is home to as many as 73 snow leopards.
• Details:
• The first-ever such study on snow leopards was completed in January 2021 by the Himachal Pradesh Wildlife Department and the Mysore-based Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF).
• The entire snow leopard habitat of the State [of Himachal Pradesh] was first stratified into three categories — high, low, or unknown snow leopard occurrence, based on questionnaire surveys of local communities residing in these areas.
• Camera trap surveys were then carried out in areas under each of the categories.
• Key observations:
• In Himachal Pradesh, the snow leopard’s habitat covers a greater part of the districts of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur.
• Its potential habitat also extends into the upper regions of the districts of Shimla, Kullu, Chamba and Kangra.
• The population of the primary wild ungulate prey of snow leopards, blue sheep and ibex for the entire snow leopard habitat was assessed by using the double observer survey technique.
• It was found that the snow leopard density was positively correlated with the wild prey density, indicating that higher wild prey densities corresponded to higher snow leopard densities.
• Protection:
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)- Appendix I
• IUCN Red List- Vulnerable
• Convention on Migratory Species (CMS)- Appendix 
• Snow Leopard Enumeration Project:
• The wildlife wing of the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department commenced the snow leopard enumeration project in 2018.
• This was carried out with techniques aligned to the protocols prescribed by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change under the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI).
• Conservation:
• India has been conserving snow leopard and their habitat through the Project Snow Leopard (PSL).
• Project Snow Leopard (PSL) was launched in 2009 to promote an inclusive and participatory approach to conserve snow leopards and their habitat.
• For Snow Leopard conservation, India has identified three large landscapes, namely, Hemis-Spiti across Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh; Nanda Devi – Gangotri in Uttarakhand; and Khangchendzonga – Tawang across Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

Mandarin Duck

• Context: 
  • A colourful duck from eastern Asia was spotted in Assam after 118 years has raised hopes for a wetland that was affected by a blowout and inferno at a natural gas well in May-June, 2020.
• About:
  • The duck, whose primary habitat is in eastern China and southern Japan, had landed in Assam.
  • Mandarin ducks do not come regularly to India but one or two may join other migratory birds and go wherever they go.
  • The last time a Mandarin duck was spotted in Assam was in 1902.
  • One of the largest living species of ducks, the white-winged wood duck is mostly found in Assam’s Nameri National Park and Dehing-Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • Mixed flocking is not unusual among different species of ducks.
  • Green activists argue this augurs well for Maguri-Motapung Beel where birds and fishes had died after a gas well operated by Oil India Limited at the adjoining Baghjan had a blowout — uncontrolled ejection of oil condensates at great speed — in May 2020.
• IUCN status: Least Concerned
  • Considered the most beautiful duck in the world, the Mandarin duck, (Aix galericulata) was first identified by Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
  • The migratory duck breeds in Russia, Korea, Japan, and northeastern parts of China. It now has established populations in Western Europe and America too.
  • It was recorded in 1902 in the Dibru River in the Rongagora area in Tinsukia.
  • The Maguri Motapung wetland in the Tinsukia district is an Important Bird Area as declared by the Bombay Natural History Society.
  • It is located close to the Dibru Saikhowa National Park in Upper Assam.
  • The entire ecosystem is very important as it is home to at least 304 bird species, including a number of endemic ones like Black-breasted parrotbill and Marsh babbler.
  • In May 2020, the beel was adversely affected by a blowout and fire at an Oil India Limited-owned gas well.

White Cheeked Macaque

• Context:
  • Scientists recently found white-cheeked macaque in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • The discovery adds a new species to the mammal list of India.
• About:
  • Scientific Name: Macaca leucogenys.
  • Background: It was first discovered in 2015 by a group of Chinese scientists from southeastern Tibet.
  • Physical Characteristics: This macaque is distinct from other macaques found in the region as it displays white cheeks, long and thick hairs on the neck area and a longer tail.
  • It is also the last mammal to have been discovered in Southeast Asia.
  • Arunachal macaque, as well as the White Cheeked Macaque, exist in the same biodiversity hotspot in the eastern Himalayas.
• Significance:
  •  
  • Firstly, with this discovery, India’s mammal count increases from 437 to 438.
  • Secondly, this discovery will lay the foundation of the species being covered by the Wildlife Protection Act of India, which presently doesn’t cover it simply because we didn’t know it existed in India.
  • Other Macaques in India: Apart from the white cheeked macaque, India has Arunachal macaque, Assamese macaque, Rhesus macaque.

Two plant species discovered in Kerala

• Context:
  • Researchers have reported two new plant species from the biodiversity-rich Western Ghats regions in Thiruvananthapuram and Wayanad districts.
• About:
  • They have been christened Fimbristylis sunilii and Neanotis prabhuii.
  • Collected from the grasslands of Ponmudi hills, Thiruvananthapuram, Fimbristylis sunilii has been named after plant taxonomist C.N. Sunil. It has been provisionally assessed as data deficient (DD) under the IUCN Red List categories.
  • Neanotis prabhuii has been discovered in the Chembra Peak grasslands of Wayanad. It hails from the family Rubiaceae and grows on high-altitude grasslands. It has been categorised as data deficient (DD).

Eastern swamp deer

• Context:
  • The population of the vulnerable eastern swamp deer, extinct elsewhere in South Asia, has dipped in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
  • Officials attributed the decrease from 907 individuals in 2018 to 868 during the Eastern Swamp Deer Estimation on January 10 and 11 to two high floods in 2019 and 2020.
• About swamp deer:
  • The barasingha also called swamp deer, deer is endemic to Kaziranga.
  • The eastern swamp deer was once concentrated in the central Kohora and Bagori ranges of Kaziranga.
  • IUCN status: Vulnerable.
  • State animal of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
  • Range: central and northern India and southern Nepal.
  • India: Assam, Jumna River, Ganges River, Brahmaputra River, Madhya Pradesh, Utter Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Two species of fungi

• Context:
  • Researchers from Kerala have identified two new species of fungi from the genus Ganoderma that are associated with coconut stem rot disease.
• About:
  • The two Fungi species have been named Ganoderma Keralense and Ganoderma Pseudoapplanatum.
  • The basal stem rot of coconut is known by several names in different parts of India:
    1. Ganoderma wilt in Andhra Pradesh.
    2. Anaberoga in Karnataka.
    3. Thanjavur wilt in Tamil Nadu

Lesser Florican

• Context:
  • In a major discovery, the longest in-country migration route of lesser floricans, the endangered birds of the bustard group, has been tracked for the first time from Rajasthan to Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district.
• About the Lesser Florican:
  • Scientific Name: Sypheotides indicus.
  • It is also known as the likh or kharmore, is the smallest in the bustard family.
  • Endemic to the Indian Subcontinent.
  • Indian habitat: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and some other regions during the monsoon season when it breeds and later disappears with its chicks to unknown places.
  • It is found in tall grasslands.
  • Conservation status:
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule 1
  • IUCN: Endangered
  • CITES: Appendix II
  • Threats:
  • threatened both by hunting and habitat degradation.
  • Collision with power transmission lines.
  • Wind turbines and solar farms.

Kyhytysuka sachicarum

• Context:
  • An international team of researchers has discovered a new marine reptile in central Columbia. The specimen, a meter-long skull, has been named Kyhytysuka sachicarum.
• About Kyhytysuka sachicarum:
  • New species of Cretaceous hyper-carnivorous ichthyosaur.
  • It evolved a unique dentition that allowed it to eat large prey.
  • The dentary is the longest bone of the species.
  • Mostly found in shallow waters.
  • It has been named so to honour the ancient Muisca culture.

Chocolate-bordered Flitter

• Context:
  • Recently, the species of butterfly, now named the Chocolate-bordered Flitter, was found in Sikkim’s Dzongu, the ‘land of butterflies’.Context: 
• About Chocolate-bordered Flitter:
  • Scientific name: Zographetus dzonguensis
  • Golden yellow butterfly with brown borders and spots.
  • The closest relatives of this butterfly are Zographetus pangi in Guangdong, and Zographetus hainanensis in Hainan, both in southeastern China close to Hong Kong.

Acute Bladder Snail

• Context:
  • A tiny snail with a striking, pellucid golden-yellow shell found in the Edappally canal in Kochi has been flagged as an invasive species that could play havoc with native ecosystems.
• About Acute Bladder Snail:
  • Physella acuta is a snail species.
  • It is considered native to North America but is now found in all continents except Antarctica. 
  • The snail was first reported in India in the early 1990s. It is believed to have reached Kerala through the aquarium trade.
  • Physella Acuta plays host to worms that can cause food-borne diseases and skin itches in humans. Moreover, its rapid growth rate, air-breathing capability, and tolerance to pollution makes the Physella acuta a potential competitor to native fauna

Indian Desert Cat

• Context:
  • Recently, an Indian Desert Cat has been spotted for the first time in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR).
• About Indian desert cat:
  • Scientific Name: Felis silvestris ornate.
  • It is also known as the Asian steppe wildcat and Asiatic Wildcat.
  • Considered as a subspecies of African Wildcat.
  • The cat is found in deserts and can survive without water. The toes of the species have cushion-like hair which helps them to balance the fluctuating desert temperatures.
  • Habitat:
    • Indian habitat: the Asiatic wildcat inhabits the Thar Desert and is associated with the scrub desert. The cat has also been recorded in Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh and Mirzapur forests.
  • Protection Status:
    • CITES: Appendix-II
    • Wildlife protection Act’s: Schedule-I.
    • IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Gharials

• Context:
  • Recently, the Department of Punjab Forest and Wildlife Preservation, in collaboration with the World-Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF-India) has released a lot of 24 gharials (Gavialis Gangeticus) into the Beas Conservation Reserve.
• About Gharials:
  • Asian crocodiles are distinguished by their long, thin snouts which resemble a pot (ghara in Hindi) 
  • Distribution:
    • It was once found across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. However, currently, it survives in several severely fragmented populations in India and Nepal.
  • Indian habitat:
    • Son River, Girwa River, the Ganges, Mahanadi River and the Chambal River.
  • Protected areas:
    • National Chambal Sanctuary and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • Habitat:
    • It prefers to live in riverine habitats with deep, clear, fast-moving water and steep, sandy banks.
  • Protected status:
    • Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I.
    • CITES: Appendix I.
    • IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
  • Threat:
    • Construction of Dam, barrages, and water abstraction
    • Entanglement in fishing nets,
    • River bed cultivation
    • sand mining.
    • Project Crocodile: UNDP and FAO in 1975. It included an intensive captive rearing and breeding programme intended to revive the dwindling gharial population.

Blue Bull

• Context:
  • Recently, the Bihar government has decided that to control the increasing population of blue bulls, they will sterilise them instead of culling them.
• About Blue Bull:
  • Locally known as the nilgai or ghurparas, usually found in India, Nepal and Pakistan.
  • Scientific Name: Boselaphus tragocamelus.
  • Largest Asian antelope.
  • Indigenous to the Indian subcontinent.
  • Sexual dimorphism is prominent; the males are larger than females and differ in colouration.
  • Conservation status:
    • IUCN: Least Concern
    • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule III
  • Habitat:
    • Live in forests, wooded grasslands, scrub areas and agricultural areas and also in the human settlements

Indian Flap-shell Turtle

• Context:
  • A mountaineer and an international forest forensic investigator had a chance encounter with the rarely found species of Albino Indian Flapshell turtle in Telangana.
• About Indian flapshell turtle:
  • Freshwater species of turtle found in South Asia. 
  • The “flap-shelled” name stems from the presence of femoral flaps located on the plastron. These flaps of skin cover the limbs when they retract into the shell.
  • Diet: They are known to be omnivorous. Its diet consists of frogs, shrimp, snails, aquatic vegetation, plant leaves, flowers, fruits, grasses and seed
  • Distribution: Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh (Indus and Ganges drainages), and Myanmar (Irrawaddy and Salween Rivers).
  • Habitat:
    • They live in the shallow, quiet, often stagnant waters of rivers, streams, marshes, ponds, lakes and irrigation canals, and tanks.
    • Prefer waters with sand or mud bottoms.
    • They are also well adapted to drought conditions.
  • Conservation Status:
    • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
    • CITES: Appendix II.
    • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

Albatros

• Context:
  • A new study has provided evidence of the effect of environmental conditions on the longevity of relationships among a population of albatrosses.

• What Report Says?

  • The report says that environmental conditions cause splits between black-browed albatrosses in the South Atlantic, which otherwise have long-term monogamous relationships.
  • The “divorce rate” in the study population varied substantially across years and was directly modulated by environmental variability at different times.
  • Higher “divorce rates” were recorded in lower-quality years.

• How exactly can a changing environment cause these birds to split up?

  • Split is considered an adaptive strategy between albatrosses partners.
  • It is triggered by breeding failure and also for some reproductive benefits, particularly for females which are more likely to find new partners and attain a higher breeding success.

• About Albatross:

  • The wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) are large flying seabirds. Their species of the genus Diomedea (great albatrosses) have the longest wingspans of any extant birds.

  Range:

  • They are found widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific. They are absent from the North Atlantic.

  IUCN status:

  • Of the 22 species of albatrosses recognized by the IUCN, all are listed as at some level of concern.

  Critically endangeredEndangeredNear threatenedVulnerable-7.

  Threat:

  • The numbers of albatrosses have declined in the past due to harvesting for feathers.
  • They are also threatened by introduced species, like rats and feral cats that attack eggs, chicks, and nesting adults.
  • By pollution and serious decline in fish stocks in many regions largely due to overfishing.
  • Longline fishing-It poses the greatest threat, as feeding birds are attracted to the bait, become hooked on the lines, and drown.

Beavan Swift

• Context:
  • A recent assessment of butterflies across the seven biodiversity parks in Delhi revealed the presence of the Beavan’s swift, a species that has previously not been spotted in the city.
• Where it is found?
  • The Beavan’s swift is distributed throughout northern India, but it was never encountered earlier in Delhi.
• Why seen in Delhi?
  • Good rains this year meant that the population of grasses, which are the Beavan’s swift’s host plant, increased.
  • The availability of host plants might be the reason for its presence here.
• Do we have a National Butterfly? No

• Campaign for recognising National Butterfly:

  • Butterflies are ambassadors of nature conservation, and they are important biological indicators that reflect the health of our environment.
  • Butterfly enthusiasts and nature-lovers from all over the country have gathered as a National Butterfly Campaign Consortium.
  • National Butterfly Campaign Consortium is aimed at nominating India’s National Butterfly.
  • Considering the ecological importance, conservation significance, and growing popularity of butterflies among the general public, it is high time we nominated the National Butterfly.
  • Top Contenders:
    • Indian Jezebel (Delias Eucharis)
    • Orange Oakleaf (Kallima Inachus)
    • Krishna Peacock (Papilio Krishna)

Swallowtail Butterfly

• Context:
  • A swallowtail butterfly carrying ‘India’ in its name will become the State butterfly of Arunachal Pradesh.
• About Kaiser-i-Hind:
  • The butterfly is also known as Kaiser-i-Hind.
  • Pakke Tiger Reserve 2047 declaration.
  • The State Cabinet also adopted the Pakke Tiger Reserve 2047 declaration on climate change-resilient and responsive Arunachal Pradesh aimed at lowering emissions and sustainable development.
  • Kaiser-i-Hind ( Teinopalpus imperialis ) literally means Emperor of India.
  • This butterfly with a 90-120 mm wingspan is found in six states along the eastern Himalayas at elevations from 6,000-10,000 feet in well-wooded terrain.
• Countries:
  • The butterfly also flutters in Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and southern China.
• Protection:
  • It is protected under Schedule II of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Threats:
  • It is hunted for supply to butterfly collectors.
  • The species is confined to very few pockets of Arunachal Pradesh and could become extinct if not conserved. The implication of the tag: The State butterfly tag can translate into its habitat conservation.

• About Pakke Tiger Reserve:
  • It is also known as Pakhui Tiger Reserve.
  • It is located in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Falls within the Eastern Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot.
  • Known for its amazing sightings of four resident hornbill species.
  • This Tiger Reserve has won India Biodiversity Award 2016 in the category of 'Conservation of threatened species' for its Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme.
  • It is bounded by Bhareli or Kameng River in the west and north, and by Pakke River in the east.
  • It is surrounded by contiguous forests on most sides.

Latham’s Snipe

• Context:
  • Urban development continues to threaten Latham’s Snipe habitats as several snipe sites in eastern Australia are at risk from housing developments and large infrastructure projects.
  • Latham’s Snipe was formerly known as the Japanese Snipe.
• About:
  • Characteristics:
    • Latham's Snipe is the largest snipe in Australia, with cryptic, mainly brown, plumage.
    • Their exceptional eyesight helps them constantly scan for dangers at night when they forage for food in open wet and muddy areas.
  • Habitat:
    • Breeds in northern Japan and parts of eastern Russia during May-July and spends the non-breeding season (September to March) along Australia’s eastern coast.
    • Like other migratory shorebirds, it has incredible endurance, undertaking a non-stop, over-ocean flight between its breeding and non-breeding grounds.
  • Threats:
    • Hunting and wetland loss during the 20th century have contributed to a decline in Latham’s Snipe in south-eastern Australia.
    • The signing of the Japan Australia Migratory Bird Agreement in 1981 has stopped snipe hunting in both countries to some extent.
  • Protection Status:
    • IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Crocodile

• Context:
  • Odisha’s Kendrapara became the only district in India to be home to all three species of crocodilians found in the country.
• Major species of crocodilians found in India:
  • Mugger
    • Also called the Indian crocodile or marsh crocodile.
    • Habitat:
      • Found throughout the Indian subcontinent.
      • The mugger is mainly a freshwater species and found in lakes, rivers, and marshes.
    • Conservation status: 
      • IUCN: Vulnerable
      • CITES: Appendix I
      • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
    • Threats: Habitat destruction because of the conversion of natural habitats for agricultural and industrial use.
  • Gharial
    • Habitat:
      • The Gharial or fish-eating crocodile is native to the Indian subcontinent.
      • Small released populations are present and increasing in the rivers of the National Chambal Sanctuary, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Son River Sanctuary and the rainforest biome of Mahanadi in Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary, Orissa.
    • Conservation status: 
      • IUCN: Critically endangered.
      • CITES : Appendix I
      • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
    • Threats:
      1. killed by fishermen,
      2. hunted for skins, trophies and indigenous medicine, and
      3. their eggs collected for consumption.
  • Saltwater Crocodile
    • Largest of all living reptiles.
    • Habitat:
      • Found throughout the east coast of India.
      • Large population present within the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary of Odisha while smaller populations occur throughout the Sundarbans.
      • Populations are also present within the mangrove forests and other coastal areas of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India.
    • Conservation status: 
      • IUCN: Least Concern
      • CITES: Appendix I (except the populations of Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, which are included in Appendix II).
      • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
    • Threats:
      1. Illegal hunting for its meat and eggs, as well as for its commercially valuable skin.
      2. Habitat loss and habitat alterations.
      3. Negative attitude towards the species makes conservation measures difficult to implement.

Turtle and Behler Turtle Conservation Award

• Context:
  • Recently, Indian biologist Shailendra Singh has been awarded the Behler Turtle Conservation Award for bringing three critically endangered turtle conservation species back from the brink of extinction.
  • There are 29 species of freshwater turtles and tortoises in the country.
• About Behler Turtle Conservation Award:
  • Established in 2006, it is a major annual international award honoring excellence in the field of the tortoise and freshwater turtle conservation and biology, and leadership in the chelonian conservation and biology community.
  • Also referred to as the “Nobel Prize” of Turtle Conservation.
  • Co-presented by Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, Turtle Conservancy, and Turtle Conservation Fund.
  • In the present context, the three critically endangered turtles are being conserved as a part of TSA India’s research, conservation breeding and education programme in different parts of the country.
  • The Northern River Terrapin (Batagur baska) is being conserved at the Sunderbans;
  • The Red-crowned Roofed Turtle (Batagur kachuga) at Chambal;
  • The Black Softshell Turtle (Nilssonia nigricans) at different temples in Assam.
• Read more: Prelims CA magazine Sept 2021

Irrawaddy dolphin

• Context:
  • Irrawaddy dolphin found dead in Chilika Lake. This is the 8th dolphin death in Odisha in 8 months.
• About:
  • Habitat: 
    • Species of oceanic dolphins found in discontinuous subpopulations near sea coasts and in estuaries and rivers in parts of the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia- the Irrawaddy (Myanmar), the Mahakam (Indonesian Borneo) and the Mekong (China).
  • Conservation status:
    • IUCN: Endangered
    • Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule I
    • CITES: Appendix-I
  • Threats:
    • More susceptible to human conflict than most other dolphins that live farther out in the ocean.
    • accidental capture and drowning in gillnets and dragnets, bottom-set crabnets.
    • electrofishing, gold mining, and dam building.

Pangolin

• Context:
  • A pangolin was rescued by police after being spotted in the Behlopur area of Noida and handed over to the forest department.
• About:
  • The pangolin, also called scaly anteater, is an elongated, armour-plated insectivore mammal.
  • It uses these scales as armour to defend itself against predators by rolling into a ball when threatened.
  • Also, a pangolin’s long claws help it to dig the ground for termites, which is its staple food.
• Species of Pangolin:
  • Seven species of pangolin are found across the world, of which, two are found in India, namely Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) and Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla).
  • The Indian Pangolin is found throughout the country south of the Himalayas, excluding the north-eastern region while the Chinese Pangolin ranges through Assam and the eastern Himalayas.
  • The Chinese pangolin is distinguished from other Asian pangolins by its almost helmeted appearance, smaller scales than the Indian pangolin.
• Habitat:
  • It is adaptable to a wide range of habitats including primary and secondary tropical forests, limestone and bamboo forests, grasslands and agricultural fields.
• Threats:
  • Once known to be found in large numbers, its population is rapidly declining in its range due to habitat loss and rampant poaching for its skin, scales, and meat.
  • It is a highly trafficked mammal; due to its huge demand for medicinal purposes, pangolins are smuggled through roads and rails and sent to China.
• Protection Status:
  • As per International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the pangolin is part of the “red list”.
  • While the Indian pangolin is listed as “endangered” and the Chinese pangolin has been listed as “critically endangered”.
  • All pangolin species are listed in Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix I.
  • In India, pangolins, both Indian and Chinese, are protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
  • Therefore, hunting, trade or any other form of utilisation of the species or their body parts and derivatives is banned.
  • In India, hunting and poaching can invite prison time up to 7 years since it involves maximum protection under the section of the Wildlife Act.

Minervarya Pentali

• Context:
  • Recently, a new frog species was discovered in the Western Ghats and named after former DU Vice-Chancellor and plant geneticist Deepak Pental.
• About:
  • The new frog species named Minervarya Pentali belongs to the family of Dicroglossidae.
  • The family Dicroglossidae comprises 202 species of semiaquatic frogs distributed by the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia and Papua New Guinea.
  • The family contains large-sized (e.g., genus Hoplobatrachus) and dwarf species, with a total length of about 30 mm (e.g., genus Nannophrys).
  • It was discovered from the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, extending along the southwest coast of the Indian Peninsula.
  • This new species is endemic to the southern Western Ghats.
  • This species is also among the smallest known Minervarya (genus) frogs.

Swinhoe's softshell turtle

• Context:
  • In recent years, a lot of efforts have been put by conservationists to save the world’s most endangered turtle, Swinhoe's softshell turtle from the brink of extinction.
• About:
  • The animal is also known as the Hoan Kiem turtle or Yangtze giant softshell turtle.
  • In Vietnam, these animals have great cultural significance as people in Hanoi revere this creature as a living god.
    • Scientific Name: Rafetus swinhoei
  • These turtles are grey with light grey or yellow spots.
• Significance:
  • Some researchers have highlighted their importance to the seafloor biosystem, where they contribute by enriching soil nutrients and facilitating seed dispersion.
• Habitat:
  • The natural habitat for these turtles are wetlands and large lakes.
  • Native to China and Vietnam.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
  • CITES: Appendix II
• Threats:
  • They have been driven to the brink by hunting for their meat and eggs, as well as by the destruction of their habitat.

Hornbills

• Context: 
  • A study based on satellite data has shown a high rate of deforestation in a major hornbill habitat in Arunachal Pradesh. 
  • Satellite data revealed changes in forest cover of the 1,064 sq.km. Papum Reserve Forest (RF) adjoining Pakke Tiger Reserve and part of Assam affected by illegal felling and ethnic conflict. 
• About:
  • Papum RF is a nesting habitat of three species of the large, colorful fruit-eating hornbills: Great, Wreathed and Oriental Pied. 
  • The 862 sq.km. Pakke reserve houses a fourth species, the Rufous-Necked. 
• Hornbills: 
  • India is home to nine species of hornbills: three of them, the wreathed hornbill (Aceros undulatus), the brown hornbill (Anorrhinus austeni) and the Rufous-necked hornbill (Aceros nipalensis) great hornbill is the state bird of Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala. India also has Narcondam Hornbill, found only on the island of Narcondam. 
  • Hornbill festival celebrated in Nagaland is named after the bird – Hornbill which is the most revered and admired bird for the Nagas. 
• Do you know? 
  • Hornbills used to be hunted for their casques — upper beak — and feathers for headgear despite being cultural symbols of some ethnic communities in the northeast, specifically the Nyishi of Arunachal Pradesh.  
  • But a 20­ year-­old conservation programme entailing the use of fibre­glass beaks reduced the threat to the birds to a large extent. 
• Hornbill species: 
  • 1. Great Hornbill:
    • IUCN Red List: Near threatened. 
    • Largest of all hornbills in India. 
    • Found in a few forest areas in Western Ghats and the forests along Himalayas. 
  • 2. Rufous-necked Hornbill:
    • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable 
    • Has Northern-most extent, ranging from North-eastern India to Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary in West Bengal. 
  • 3. Wreathed Hornbill:
    • IUCN Red List: Least Concern 
    • Found in forests from far North-eastern India. 
  • 4. NarcondamHornbill: 
    • IUCN Red List: Endangered 
    • Endemic to Indian island of Narcondam in Andamans. 
    • Smallest home range out of all species of Asian hornbills. 
  • 5. Malabar Pied Hornbill:
    • IUCN Red List: Near Threatened 
    • Common resident breeder in India and Sri Lanka. 
    • Habitat: Evergreen and moist deciduous forests often near human settlements. 
  • 6. Oriental Pied Hornbill:
    • IUCN Red List: Least Concern 
    • Largest distribution, found in the Indian Subcontinent and throughout Southeast Asia. 
    • Habitat: Subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. 
  • 7. White-throated Brown Hornbill:
    • IUCN Red List: Near Threatened 
    • Found in forests from North-eastern India. 
    • Common habitat: Namdapha National Park, Changlang District, Arunachal Pradesh. 
  • 8. Malabar Grey Hornbill:
    • IUCN Red List: Least Concern 
    • Common in the Western Ghats and associated hills of southern India. 
  • 9. Indian Grey Hornbill:
    • IUCN Red List: Least Concern 
    • Habitat: Mainly on the plains up to about 2000 feet, foothills of Himalayas southwards, bounded to the west by Indus system and to the east by Ganges Delta.

Greater Adjutant Storks (Garuda)

• Context:
  • Recently, Bihar has decided to tag greater adjutant storks locally known as ‘Garuda’ with GPS trackers to monitor their movement as part of efforts to conserve them.
• About:
  • Scientific Name:
    • Leptoptilos dubius
  • Genus:
    • The greater adjutant is a member of the stork family, Ciconiidae.
    • There are about 20 species in the family.
    • They are long-necked large birds.
• Habitat:
  • Once found across South and Southeast Asia, the Greater Adjutant is one of the most threatened stork species in the world.
  • There are only three known breeding grounds – one in Cambodia and two in India (Assam and Bihar).
• Threat:
  • The widespread destruction and degradation of the wetlands that this scavenger bird needs to forage (i.e. search for food) and the loss of its nesting trees, led to a decline.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Endangered
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule IV
• Significance:
  • Religious Icon:
    • They are considered the mount of Vishnu, one of Hinduism’s prime deities.
    • Some worship the bird and call it “Garuda Maharaj” (Lord Garuda) or “Guru Garuda” (Great Teacher Garuda).
  • Helpful for Farmers:
    • They help farmers by killing rats and other farm pests.

Slender Loris

• Context:
  • Recently, some environmentalists demanded that Tamil Nadu’s Kadavur Reserve Forest be declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary in order to conserve Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus).
  • The wildlife census conducted during 2016-17 showed an appreciable population of 3,500 slender loris in the Karur Reserve Forest.
• About:
  • The slender lorises (Loris) are a genus of loris native to India and Sri Lanka.
  • Slender lorises spend most of their life in trees, travelling along the tops of branches with slow and precise movements.
  • They generally feed on insects, reptiles, plant shoots, and fruit.
• Habitat:
  • They are found in tropical rainforests, scrub forests, semi-deciduous forests, and swamps.
• Types:
  • There are two species of Slender Loris, the only members of the genus ‘Loris’:
    • Red Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus)
    • Grey Slender Loris (Loris lydekkerianus)
• Threat:
  • It is believed that they have medicinal properties and they are captured and sold. Since there is great demand for keeping these animals as pets, they are illegally smuggled.
  • Habitat loss, electrocution of live wires and road accidents are other threats that have caused its populations to dwindle.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN: Endangered,
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972: Schedule I
  • CITES: Appendix II

Great Indian Bustard (GIB)

• Context:
  • Recently, the government has said there are no Great Indian Bustards in Kutch Bustard Sanctuary in Gujarat, a claim that has raised eyebrows among conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts.
• Great Indian Bustards and their habitats:
  • GIBs are the largest among the four bustard species found in India, the other three being MacQueen’s bustard, lesser florican, and the Bengal florican.
  • GIBs’ historic range included much of the Indian sub-continent but it has now shrunken to just 10% of it.
  • Among the heaviest birds with flight, GIBs prefer grasslands as their habitats.
  • Being terrestrial birds, they spend most of their time on the ground with occasional flights to go from one part of their habitat to the other.
  • They feed on insects, lizards, grass seeds, etc.
  • GIBs are considered the flagship bird species of grassland and hence barometers of the health of grassland ecosystems.
  • Due to the species’ smaller population size, the IUCN has categorized GIBs as critically endangered, thus on the brink of extinction from the wild.
• Threats
  • Overhead power transmission lines as the biggest threat to the GIBs.
  • Wildlife Institute of India (WII) research has concluded that in Rajasthan, 18 GIBs die every year after colliding with overhead powerlines as the birds, due to their poor frontal vision, can’t detect powerlines in time and their weight makes in-flight quick maneuvers difficult.
  • Change in the landscape by way of farmers cultivating their land, which otherwise used to remain fallow due to frequent droughts in Kutch, and cultivation of cotton and wheat instead of pulses and fodder are also cited as reasons for falling GIB numbers.
• Conservation measures
  • In 2015, the Central government launched the GIB species recovery program.
  • Under the program, the WII and Rajasthan forest department have jointly set up conservation breeding centers where GIB eggs harvested from the wild are incubated artificially and hatchlings raised in a controlled environment.

Common palm civet/ Asian palm civet

• Context:
  • Albino palm civet sighted in Odisha after 129 years in Satkosia Tiger Reserve.
  • A partial albino common palm civet was last sighted in 1891 in the state’s Kandhamal district.
• About:
• The common palm civet is a small mammal belonging to the family Viverridae.
• It can be found in southern and southeastern Asia.
• Their long, stocky body is covered with coarse, shaggy hair that is usually grey.
• It is thought to lead a solitary lifestyle, except for brief periods during mating.
• It is both terrestrial and arboreal and shows a nocturnal activity pattern with peaks between late evening until after midnight.
• Albinism:
• Albinism is a hypo-pigmentary disorder with a total lack of melanins in hair, eyes, and skin due to the heritable absence of functional tyrosinase enzyme in pigment cells affecting skin and hair.
• This resulting in a total white plumage/fur with red eyes. 
• Albinism is controlled via inheritance by an autosomal recessive gene in all animal species.
• Satkosia tiger reserve:
  • It comprises two adjoining Sanctuaries of central Odisha named Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary and Baisipalli Sanctuary.
  • The vegetation of Satkosia largely conforms to north Indian moist deciduous forest, northern tropical dry deciduous forest, and moist peninsular low-level Sal.
  • The terrain is undulating.

Spinner dolphin

• Context:
  • The carcass of a four-feet-long male Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) was washed ashore in Odisha’s port town of Paradip within the Bhitarkanika National Park on June 30, 2021, taking the number of marine animal deaths in the state within five months to six.
• About:
  • Spinner dolphins are small cetaceans with a slim build.
  • Adults are typically 129–235 cm long and reach a body mass of 23–79 kg.
  • This species has an elongated rostrum and a triangular or sub-triangular dorsal fin.
  • The spinner dolphin is a rare mammal in Odisha as it is an offshore species and is found in deeper waters as part of large schools.
  • Dolphins were included in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • They are also included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species.
  • They are categorized as ‘Endangered’ on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.
  • Some dolphins die each year after being mistakenly caught in trawling and other nets.

Tasmanian devils

• Context:
  • For the first time in 3,000 years, at least seven Tasmanian devils have been born in the wild in mainland Australia.
• Importance:
  • Tasmanian devils are predatory animals but feast on carrion left behind by other animals and roadkill.
  • As scavengers “they help keep ecosystems clean and free of diseases that sprout up in decaying corpses”.
  • Also, they may be able to keep pests such as mice and feral cats under control.
• Distribution:
  • Though they are called Tasmanian devils, these marsupials were once found widely in mainland Australia too.
  • Early human settlers in Australia introduced canines, which outcompeted the marsupials.
  • About 3,000 years ago, the latter were wiped off the mainland.
  • Since then Tasmania has been the only place where the Tasmanian devils have lived in the wild.
• Threats:
  • Due to several factors, including loss of habitat, accidents, and attacks by dogs and foxes, their population has been dwindling.
  • Further, the devil facial tumor disease, contagious cancer found only in these animals, has been killing adults in recent years.
  • The disease has been so severe that the creatures are facing extinction – prompting action to bring back a population to mainland Australia.
• Why is this great news?
• The reintroduction of species in the wild has always been fraught with risk, including disease, predator attack, and lack of survival skills.
• However, in this case, the captive animals released into the wild seem to have adjusted well to their surroundings, as is evident from the fact that they have given birth to young ones.
• Now a whole generation of Tasmanian devils has the potential to grow in the wild in a region where devil facial tumor disease does not exist.

Saiga Antelope

• Context:
  • The Saiga Antelope has been a critically endangered species since 2018.
  • But the antelope species is making a comeback.
• About:
  • The Saiga is known for its distinctive bulbous nose.
  • IUCN deems the Saiga to be among five critically endangered antelope species.
• Distribution:
  • During antiquity, it inhabited a vast area of the Eurasian steppe.
  • Today, they are only found in some parts of Russia and Kazakhstan.
  • Kazakhstan is home to a majority of the world's Saiga.
• Decline and revival:
  • The population of the Saiga antelope has more than doubled in Kazakhstan since 2019.
  • This gives conservationists fresh hope for the animal's long-term survival as it suggests a continuing rebound after a massive die-off in 2015.
  • Around half the total global population of Saiga at the time were wiped out by what scientists later determined was a nasal bacterium that spread in unusually warm and humid conditions in 2015.
• Major threats:
• The threat of poaching is fuelled by the demand for the Saiga's horn in traditional Chinese medicine.
• Climate change and the expansion of human activity through farming and infrastructure projects are other threats to Saiga.
• Earlier this month the ecological ministry estimated that around 350 female saiga antelopes had been killed by lightning amid storms in the west of the country.

Red-eared slider

• Context:
  • The invasive red-eared slider is threatening to invade the natural water bodies across the Northeast, home to 21 of the 29 vulnerable native Indian species of freshwater turtles and tortoises.
• About:
  • The red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) derives its name from red stripes around the part where its ears would be and from its ability to slide quickly off any surface into the water.
  • Native to the U.S. and northern Mexico, this turtle is an extremely popular pet due to its small size, easy maintenance, and relatively low cost.
  • But on the flip side, they grow fast and virtually leaves nothing for the native species to eat
  • The red-eared slider has already affected States such as Karnataka and Gujarat, where it has been found in 33 natural water bodies.
  • But more than elsewhere in India, preventing this invasive species from overtaking the Brahmaputra and other river ecosystems in the Northeast is crucial because the Northeast is home to more than 72% of the turtle and tortoise species in the country, all of them very rare.
  • Although the red-eared slider is traded legally, the time has come for the government to come up with regulations against keeping invasive pets.

White-Bellied Heron

• Context:
  • Recently, a white-bellied heron, a rare and elusive bird, was spotted at Walong in the Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh.
• About:
• It is one of the rarest birds in the world.
• At present, it is found only in Bhutan, Myanmar, and the Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh.
• It had also been recorded in the adjacent Kamlang Tiger Reserve in Lohit district in camera trap images.
• The recent sighting at a height of 1,200 meters above sea level is a first at such a higher elevation in India.
• It is categorized as critically endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red Data Book.
• It is also listed in Schedule IV in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Leatherback turtle

• Context:
  • Environment Appraisal Committee which flagged concerns over NITI Aayog’s ambitious project for Great Nicobar Island has now ‘recommended’ it ‘for grant of terms of reference’ for EIA studies.
• Threat due to the project:
  • Galathea Bay is the site of the port and the centerpiece of the NITI Aayog proposal.
  • Galathea Bay is also an iconic nesting site in India of the enigmatic Giant Leatherback.
  • The site selection for the port had been done mainly on technical and financial criteria, ignoring the environmental aspects.
• About leatherback turtle:
  • It is the largest of all living turtles and is the fourth-heaviest modern reptile behind three crocodilians.
  • It can easily be differentiated from other modern sea turtles by its lack of a bony shell; instead, its carapace is covered by oily flesh and flexible, leather-like skin, for which it is named.
  • It is a species with a cosmopolitan global range.
  • IUCN status: Vulnerable.

Blackbucks

• Context:
  • Odisha’s blackbuck population has doubled in the last six years, according to figures from the latest population census released recently by the chief conservator of forest (wildlife).
• About:
  • The antelopes numbered 7,358 — 4,196 females, 1,712 males and 1,450 young, according to census figures.
  • Blackbucks are found only in the Ganjam district in the southern part of the state.
• Protection Status:
  • The blackbuck is a Schedule-1 animal according to the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (amended in 1992) and is considered as ‘Vulnerable’ according to the Red Data Book.
  • The blackbuck is known in Odisha and Ganjam as Krushnasara Mruga.
• Other related facts:
  • Bishnoi community of Rajasthan is known worldwide for their conservation efforts to blackbuck and Chinkara. State animal of Andra Pradesh, Haryana & Punjab.
  • Protected Areas:
    1. Velavadar Blackbuck Sanctuary — Gujarat.
    2. Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary.
    3. Nilgiri biosphere reserve.
    4. Corbett national park.

Cynodonts

• Context:
  • The Tiki Formation in Madhya Pradesh, a treasure trove of vertebrate fossils, has now yielded a new species and two genera of cynodonts, small rat-like animals that lived about 220 million years ago.
• About cynodont:
  • It is a fossil mammal-like reptile of the late Permian and Triassic periods, with well-developed specialized teeth.
  • They had a wide variety of lifestyles, including carnivory and herbivory. 
• Why their findings are important?
  • Cynodonts are important in evolutionary studies as this group ultimately gave rise to the present-day mammals.
  • By studying their molar and premolar teeth, we see how they slowly evolved and modified.
  • Their crown shape shows that these animals are intermediate forms that are very near to the mammalian line of evolution.
  • Cynodonts and living mammals both belong to a group of egg-laying vertebrates (amniotes) called synapsids.
  • The close relationship of cynodonts with living mammals is seen in their bones. 
• About Tiki formation:
  • The Tiki Formation is a Late Triassic geologic formation in Madhya Pradesh, northern India.
  • Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.

Himalayan serow

• It is a Himalayan mammal, somewhere between a goat and an antelope.
• It has been confirmed as the newest creature to be spotted in Assam.
• It was spotted in the 950-sq.km Manas Tiger Reserve on December 3.
• Categorised as ‘vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
• It is listed under Schedule I of The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which provides absolute protection.

Whale shark

• About:
  • The whale shark is the largest living species of fish and is endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
  • It is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act.
  • The whale shark has a lifespan of around 130 years and has a unique pattern of dots on its body.
  • It can grow up to 10 metres in length and weigh around 20 tonnes.
• Habitat:
  • Whale sharks are found in all the tropical oceans of the world. Whale sharks are found along the coast of India.