1 Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence Current Environment PT-2015 ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY CURRENT AFFAIRS (2014 – 2015) 1. What is the difference between a national framework of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme park, protected area, sanctuary and biosphere of the UNESCO and are not formed according to the reserve? guidelines of the Wildlife (protection) Act, 1972 and may have one or more national parks or wildlife sanctuaries in it. Under the MAB programme there is a World Network of Due to enormous pressure of the exploding human population, Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) and within this network, the area of the forests is shrinking and many of the flora exchange of information, experience and personnel is allowed. and fauna are on the verge of extinction. Accordingly, efficient in-situ conservation strategy has been organized to conserve ecologically important areas by regulating human intervention 2. Sri Lankan flying snake sighted for the first time and thus efforts have established a protected area network. outside Sri Lanka in Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve, A.P. National park is an area with enough ecological, geomorphological and natural significance with rich fauna Flying snake or Chrysopelea taprobanica and flora, which is designed to protect and to develop wildlife Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve, A.P. or its environment. The rights of the people living inside this Evidence of continental drift theory Category 2 type of protected areas are tightly regulated and activities like grazing, hunting, forestry or cultivation, Sri Lankan flying snake or Chrysopelea taprobanica, encroachment, destruction of habitats and other activities considered endemic to the dry and intermediate zones of the are strictly prohibited. But most national parks provide island nation, has been sighted in Andhra Pradesh’s outdoor recreation, camping opportunities and are designed Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve. to educate the public on the importance of conservation activities. This significantly expands the known area of presence of this species, indicating its probable movement between the dry Protected areas are at the core of efforts towards biodiversity conservation, providing habitat and protection from hunting zones of peninsular India and Sri Lanka, which remained for threatened and endangered species and are key to connected around 17,000 years ago. buffering unpredictable impacts of impeding climate change. Thus, protected areas are geographical space, recognized, 3. Maharashtra gets ‘State butterfly’ - dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective Blue Mormon butterfly means, to achieve the long term conservation of nature and cultural values. In protected areas human occupation and Maharashtra has become the first State in the country exploitation of resources is limited. to have a ‘State butterfly.’ Wildlife Sanctuaries or wildlife refuges are home to various Maharashtra government has declared the Blue Mormon endangered species of wild animals and these animals are safe (Papilio polymnestor) as the State butterfly. from hunting, predation or competition and safeguarded from extinction in their natural habitat. The Blue Mormon is a large, swallowtail butterfly found primarily in Sri Lanka and India, mainly restricted to the Wildlife sanctuaries and national parks attract millions of Western Ghats of Maharashtra, South India and coastal belts. tourists and nature lovers. In Wildlife sanctuaries harvesting It may occasionally be spotted in the Maharashtrian mainland timbers, cultivation, and collection of forest between Vidarbha and Western Maharashtra. products are allowed with permission. • It is reportedly the second largest butterfly found in India, Biosphere Reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal just smaller than the southern birdwing. ecosystems which are internationally recognized within the Aspire IAS 10/70 ORN 8010068998 www.aspireias.com 2 Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence Current Environment PT-2015 “No State in India has ever declared a State butterfly and the species has been one of the most neglected.” Easily identifiable, the Blue Mormon boasts exquisite velvet- like black wings with bright blue spots. Aspire IAS 10/70 ORN 8010068998 www.aspireias.com 3 Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence Current Environment PT-2015 4. Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary of West Bengal has found in southern Myanmar and peninsular Thailand south- eastward into Borneo and the Philippines. the most Asian open- billed storks in the country It was spotted in Chintamani Kar Bird Sanctuary in West The Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary in West Bengal’s Uttar Bengal’s South 24 Parganas on a few occasions but it was Dinajpur district has the most Asian open-billed storks in the unable to confirm because it could not be photographed. country. Referred to as the “flagship species,” butterflies are not Other important habitats of open-billed storks includes - only pollinators of flowering plants, but also useful in Danapur Military Cantonment in Bihar, monitoring environmental changes. Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh and Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary in Karnataka While there are about 600 known species of butterflies in West Bengal, India is home to about (But their number was not as high as it is in 1,500 species of butterflies. Raiganj) With this new find, there has been an addition to different 5. Gorumara National Park, West Bengal, one peacock butterflies which are characterised by their powdery of the smallest national parks in India green pigments. Gorumara National Park has turned out to be a safe haven West Bengal is probably the only State which is home for butterflies as evident by recent studies that have recorded to a wide variety of peacock butterflies such as the more than 330 species of butterflies in the park. rare Krishna Peacock, Blue Peacock, the relatively common Paris Peacock, Common Peacock and The Bicolour Cupid and Malayan Nawab species are Common Banded Peacock. The only other Peacock among the most threatened. butterfly found in the country is Buddha Peacock or Malabar Banded Peacock, which is endemic to south The Bicolour Cupid and Malayan Nawab are placed in Schedule India. I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the Witch and the Branded Young Fly are in Schedule II of the Act. 7. India home to 48 species of bumblebees Animals and insects who are most threatened are slotted India is home to 48 of the 250 known species of in Schedule I of the Act. bumblebees, the only pollinators of vegetation in high- altitude regions. “Apart from being home to animals like elephants, rhinoceros, gaur, leopard and different kinds of deer, the Mostly characterised by black, yellow and reddish body hair, National Park has a huge collection of lesser known but and often striped, bumblebees are generally found on interesting species of butterflies.” altitudes of 2,000- 15,000 feet along the entire Himalayas, from Jammu & Kashmir to Nagaland. 6. New butterfly species spotted in West Bumblebees are important to the ecosystem, as without Bengal Chintamani Kar Bird Sanctuary - them seed setting and fruiting will not take place in many Malayan Green-banded Peacock. plants. They pollinate vegetables, fruit trees, cash crops and even ornamental and medicinal plants high in the Himalayas In a significant addition to the butterfly species in India, wildlife enthusiasts have found the Malayan Green Like the honeybees, bumblebees are social insects and live in Banded Peacock (Papilio palinurus), a beautiful specimen colonies — the size of which depends on the species. found in South East Asia, for the first time in India. Aluminium: new factor in decline of bees? The butterfly with a dusty green base having a bluish green band spread over both wings in the shape of an arc is Very high amounts of aluminium have been found in bees, Aspire IAS 10/70 ORN 8010068998 www.aspireias.com 4 Aspire IASThe name associated with excellence Current Environment PT-2015 raising the question of whether aluminium-induced The census, conducted by Assam’s forest department in cognitive dysfunction is playing a role in the decline of association with several wildlife NGOs, counted 2,401 rhinos, bumblebee populations. which indicated increase of 71 rhinos in the park in the past two years. More than half the people in some developing countries could become newly at risk for malnutrition if crop- The census is conducted every three years. Although the last pollinating animals continue to decline, according to a new census was carried out in 2012, the State government study. conducted a special census of the rhinos in 2013 after a large number of rhinos had been poached in the park. 8. Rhino numbers rise in West Bengal – Jaldapara National Park and Gorumara National Park While the 2012 census confirmed 2,290 rhinos in the park, the special census next in 2013 confirmed that there West Bengal is now home to the second highest population of were 2,329 rhinos in the park. the one-horned rhinoceros in the country after Assam, with the number growing to 250 in the State. 10. NGT adds armour for protection of rhinos in Assam’s Kaziranga A State Forest Department survey has revealed that the Jaldapara National Park in the State has nearly 200 of these The National Green Tribunal has issued notices to 71 hotels, endangered animals and the Gorumara National Park, 50. dhabas and resorts for encroaching into the national park after CAG's damning report. Jaldapara now has the second highest population of them after the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, which has over After shocking revelations of the Comptroller and Auditor 2,000. General of India about the dire state of management of Kaziranga National Park, home to one-horned rhinoceros, Jaldapara recorded 186 in the previous survey in 2013 and the National Green Tribunal has issued notices to Gorumara 46 in 2014. The State had just 20 of these animals in 71 hotels, resorts and dhabas which have encroached into the 1990. eco-sensitive zone of the Park.