PRELIMS DATA & FACTS

Cameroon Islands and Douala-Edea National Park

Cameroon Islands and Douala-Edea National Park Context: In Cameroon, the NGO Papaye International runs a sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees across three islands within the Douala-Edea National Park. This initiative is part of the larger conservation efforts to protect the region's unique wildlife, including endangered chimpanzees. Cameroon Islands: The Cameroon Islands are pa

Jim Corbett National Park:

  Jim Corbett National Park: Jim Corbett National Park, located in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand, is one of the most renowned national parks in India. It is part of the Corbett Tiger Reserve and plays a significant role in wildlife conservation, particularly in protecting the Bengal tiger. Established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, it is the oldest national park in India and

International Big Cat Alliance

Overview: The Union Cabinet formally announced the establishment of International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) with one-time budgetary support of Rs 150 crore from the central government until 2028. About International Big Cat Alliance: It is an initiative launched by the Prime Minister of India in April 2023 in Mysuru commemorating the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger. The objective of

A recent study has claimed that BioTRIG, a new waste management technology could help rural Indians.

About BioTRIG: It is a new waste management technology based on the pyrolysis system. It works by sealing the waste inside an oxygen-free chamber and heating it above 400 degrees Celsius. Useful chemicals are produced in the process. In the study, the researchers outlined that three products of pyrolysis — bio-oil, syngas and biochar fertilizer — could help rural Indians live

Jacaranda Bloom

Overview: The early onset bloom of jacaranda set off alarm bells among residents and scientists in Mexico City. About Jacaranda Bloom: It’s also known by its synonym Jacaranda acutifolia. It is a deciduous tree, Jacaranda mimosifolia comes from the Bignoniaceae family. Blue jacaranda is native of Brazil and North West Argentina. These are hardy trees that grow well in tropical

What is Melanochlamys Droupadi

Overview: Researchers of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) recently discovered a new species of head-shield sea slug from Odisha and the West Bengal coast named ‘Melanochlamys Droupadi’. About Melanochlamys Droupadi It is a new marine species of head-shield sea slug with ruby red spot. This species belonging to Melanochlamys genus was discovered from Digha of West Beng

Pinanga Subterranea

Pinanga subterranea is a species of palm tree native to Borneo. It's the 1st known species of palm to flower and fruit almost exclusively underground. This rare phenomenon has only been recorded in one other plant group, the orchid Rhizanthella.

ReTro

Chinese scientists recently announced that they have cloned a Rhesus monkey named ReTro that lived to adulthood. The scientists created ReTro using a slightly modified version to create Dolly the Sheep and other mammals like the long-tailed macaque, which was the first primate to be cloned.

Bharat stage emission standards

Context: The Supreme Court Thursday asked the Centre to formulate a policy to phase out heavy-duty diesel vehicles and to replace them with BSVI vehicles. News: The Supreme Court directed the Centre to formulate a policy within six months regarding the use of the Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Tughlaqabad, Delhi, to address air pollution concerns. The order followed a plea by the Conta

Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP)

The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) is a zoo in Darjeeling, India. It's also known as the Darjeeling Zoo and is the largest high-altitude zoo in the country. The zoo is dedicated to wildlife conservation and is known for its breeding programs for red pandas, Himalayan salamanders, Tibetan wolves, and snow leopards. World Association for Zoos and Aquar

Snow leopard

Context: Sadyr Zhaparov, the president of Kyrgyzstan signed a decree to declare the snow leopard as the national symbol of Kyrgyzstan. About Snow Leopard: Scientific Name: Panthera uncia Indicator Species: Snow leopards serve as crucial indicators of the mountain ecosystem's health due to their role as the top predator in the food web. Habitat: Found in the mountains of central A

Buxa National Park

Context: Recently, a tiger has been observed in West Bengal’s Buxa National  Park. The previous  sighting of Tiger was after 23 years on December 12, 2021. News: Possible Factors Contributing to the Tiger Population Recovery: Growth in the number of prey animals for tigers. Increase in the size of grassland habitats, providing more suitable areas for tiger popula

Green Hydrogen from Whisky Distillery

Researchers at the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh used wastewater from the whisky distilling industry to produce green hydrogen, which is a type of sustainable fuel. They did this by developing a new nanoscale material, nickel selenide that allowed distillery wastewater to replace fresh water in the green hydrogen production & it treats the wastewater.

Sisal

Sisal is a species of flowering plant native to southern Mexico. Sisal, (Agave sisalana), plant of the family Asparagaceae and its fibre, the most important of the leaf fibre group. The leaves have been used to make twine, cloth, carpets and mezcal, a distilled alcoholic beverage. A recent study suggests that the sisal leaves could make sanitary napkins more sustainable in India.

National Birds Day

January 5 is observed as National Birds Day introduced by U.S.A in 2002 and followed in some parts of the world. It is aimed at raising awareness for the conservation of avian species that have been adversely affected by habitat destruction, reducing food choices and climate change. The theme of the National Birds Day 2024 is ‘Right to Fight’. Birds in N

Anamalai Tiger Reserve

Context: Forest officials in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) rescued a wild elephant calf who was found separated from the herd About Anamalai Tiger Reserve: - Location:         The Anamalai Tiger Reserve is a protected area situated at an elevation of 1400 m in the Anamalai Hills within Pollachi and Coimbatore Districts of Tamil Nadu. Positioned to the s

GolDN

IIT Bombay has developed an instrument, GolDN (pronounced as Golden) for melt-mixing of waste thermoplastic polymers and inorganic particulate fillers to manufacture polymer composites. GolDN is a single screw extruder that mechanically recycles waste plastic polymers through melt-mixing. The instrument can manufacture composites from thermoplastic waste that can be molded

Vazhakulam variety

Vazhakulam pineapple is a pineapple grown in the Vazhakulam area of Kerala, India. The pineapple is unique in aroma, flavour and sweetness due to its high sugar content and low acidity. Vazhakulam is considered as the biggest pineapple market in India. It got its GI tag in 2009.

Enhanced tiger population at Valmiki Tiger reserve

Context: The increase in tiger numbers in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar was facilitated by diminished human activity, including bans on mining. In VTR, the status of tiger conservation has seen significant improvements: Mining Restrictions: Strict measures, including a complete ban on sand and stone mining within VTR, along with rigorous restrictions on mining activities in its eco-sens

CZA allows Odisha’s Nandankanan to receive cheetah, African lion from Dubai Safari

Context: The Central Zoo Authority has allowed the Odisha government to carry out the planned transfer of a cheetah, African lion and Chimpanzee from Dubai Safari Park (DSP) to Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP), Bhubaneswar. The CZA has asked the wildlife wing of the State Forest and Environment Department to keep requisite housing facilities ready in accordance with its guideline. News: &

Ennore ammonia gas leak | NGT takes suo motu cognisance

Context: Based on media reports of several people from Periakuppam, Ernavur, Burma Nagar experiencing breathlessness and eye and skin irritation after leakage of ammonia from gas pipelines of the unit, the NGT on December 27 issued directions to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to file a report on the incident.  News: A gas leakage occurred in the subsea pipeline of Cor

Kanha National Park

It is also known as Kanha–Kisli National Park. It is one of the tiger reserves of India and the largest national park of the state of Madhya Pradesh and in Central India. The park hosts fauna such as Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, sloth bear, barasingha (adapted to swampy areas) and dhole. The reserve has lowland forest of a

DHANAURI WETLAND

The Dhanauri Wetlands is a birdwatching area located in Dhanauri village near Dankaur in Uttar Pradesh, India. The Dhanauri Wetlands is home to over 120 Sarus cranes Sarus Cranes is the state bird of Uttar Pradesh. IUCN status - Vulnerable CITES -Appendix ll Omnivorous, eating insects (especially grasshoppers), aquatic plants, fish (perhaps only in captivity), frogs, crus

Estivation

``   Estivation is when animals are dormant because weather conditions are very hot and dry. Their breathing rate, heart rate and metabolic rate decrease to conserve energy under these harsh conditions. Humans estivate during the winter months as well as some of these animals.  A few animals on this list include water-holding frog the desert tortoise

KAZIRANGA SANCTUARY

KAZIRANGA SANCTUARY     Kaziranga National Park is a national park of the state of Assam, India. The park, hosts two-thirds of the world's Indian rhinoceroses It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for conservation of avifaunal species. The park area

Green Credit

Green Credit     It is a special programme that allows an individual or entity to earn Green Credit and trade it on a dedicated exchange. Green Credit refers to a unit of an incentive provided for specified activities that deliver a positive impact on the environment. It is launched at the national level to leverage a competitive market-based approach for incentiv

P20 Summit

P20 Summit     The 9th G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit (P20) will be inaugurated by India and will be hosted by the Parliament of India under the broader framework of India's G20 presidency. It will have 4 main sessions: Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Showcasing Achievements, Accelerating Progress Sustainable Energy Transit

GI tag for Goan Cashew

GI tag for Goan Cashew     Goan cashew, derived from the Portuguese name ‘caju’ or ‘kaju’ in Konkani. Cashew, native to northeast Brazil in Latin America was introduced to Goa by the Portuguese in the 16th century (1570). Significance of providing GI tag for Goan Cashew: Traders and processors have to comply with the norms of quality,

Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary

Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary     The sanctuary lies in the Indo-Chinese transition zone and so has highly endemic and significant flora and fauna species. The sanctuary has been named after the Dibang River, a tributary of Brahmaputra River.  It lies adjacent to the Mouling National Park. Has been declared as one of the major bio-diversity hotspots of the

Kamlang Tiger Reserve (TR)

Kamlang Tiger Reserve (TR)     The Kamlang TR is present in Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh and is contiguous to the Namdhapa Tiger Reserve. It is home to all four big cats - tiger, leopard, clouded leopard and snow leopard. It also has several species of hornbills such as Rufous-necked hornbills and Wreathed hornbills that visits in the winters. 

PHONOTAXIS

PHONOTAXIS     Phonotaxis is defined as the movement by an animal in response to a sound. It has usually observed among crickets, moths, frogs, and toads, among a few other creatures. Two types of phonotaxis include: Positive phonotaxis Its purpose is attraction It happens when the females of a particular species are attracted to the sounds mad

THE DHOLE OR ASIATIC WILD DOG 

THE DHOLE OR ASIATIC WILD DOG      It is the only endangered wild pack-living canid in the tropical Indian forests It is considered at high risk of extinction with endangered category on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List The diurnal activity of the dholes had the highest temporal overlap with leopards and the lowest with clou

Global amphibian assessment

Global amphibian assessment     The assessment is coordinated by the Amphibian Red List Authority, a branch of the Amphibian Specialist Group of the IUCN’s Species Survival Commission. The assessment has revealed that, 2 out of every 5 amphibians are threatened with extinction.  Between 2004 and 2022, a few critical threats have pushed more than

National Turmeric Board

National Turmeric Board     Aims to provide leadership in all matters related to turmeric, coordinate with relevant government agencies, particularly the Spices Board, and spearhead efforts to advance the turmeric sector within the country.  The key objective of the board is to raise awareness and consumption of turmeric domestically and internationally. 

Jellyfish

Jellyfish Jellyfish are mainly free-swimming marine animals with umbrella-shaped bells and trailing tentacles, while some tend to be immobile anchored to the seabed by stalks. The tentacles are armed with stinging cells and used to capture prey and defend against predators. They are found all over the world, from surface waters to the deep sea, from marine to freshwater, b

The House Crow

The House Crow     The house crow (Corvus splendens), also known as the Indian, greynecked, Ceylon or Colombo crow, is a common bird of the crow family that is of Asian origin. Its size ranges in size  of 40 cm (16 in) in length. It has a widespread distribution in southern Asia, being native to

Honey Bees

Honey Bees     The Muğla region in Bayram mountains of Turkey which produces almost all of the world's pine honey from Mugla Bees, ravaged by 2021 wildfires is yet to recover to pre-wildfire production levels. Honey bees are all native to mainland Afro-Eurasia. The western honey bee, (Apis mellifera) has been domesticated for honey production and cr

Survey at Corbett Tiger Reserve

About 275 bird species, including two critically endangered, four vulnerable ones and two endangered species, were counted during a survey at Corbett Tiger Reserve. Two endangered species — Pallas’s fish-eagle, Egyptian vulture and four vulnerable bird species — great hornbill, great slaty woodpecker, grey-crowned prinia and river tern — have been counted in the survey

Hydrogen for Heritage Scheme

Hydrogen for Heritage Scheme The scheme aims to revolutionise the railway industry by incorporating hydrogen fuel cells as an alternative to diesel engines. The Indian Railways has planned to operate 35 Hydrogen-powered trains to run across 8 heritage routes that are environmentally sensitive hilly regions with a potential for tourism. The project thus promotes clean energy sources with

Royal Bengal Tiger

Royal Bengal Tiger                                                             The 5

Nature Restoration Law

Nature Restoration Law A biodiversity bill initiated by the European Commission in the EU Parliament was passed. It aims to recover degraded ecosystems by reclamation of forested areas, marine habitats and growing birds, bees in the farmlands. Indicates Europe's commitment to achieving green goals and climate adaptation goals.