QUIZ – 2020: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 05 February 2020

Solution: a)

Odisha Forest Department officials, wildlife experts and researchers have sighted 146 endangered Irrawaddy dolphins in Chilika Lake, which boasts of the highest single lagoon population of the aquatic mammal in the world.

The direct sighting of 146 dolphins only corroborates the estimate of the Chilika Development Authority (CDA), which does counting of dolphins round the year using hydrophones.

According to hydrophone monitoring carried out round the year in Chilika, the highest number of Irrawaddy dolphins (20-25) was moving around Rajhans, followed by the Magarmukh and Malatikuda areas, where dolphins numbering between 17-20 were expected.

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Solution: b)

Of the six varieties of dolphins that are found in India’s rivers, lakes and around coastline, the Irrawaddy Dolphins are among the lowest in number.

The Gangetic river dolphins are freshwater species that are found in the Sundarban river system and Brahmaputra rivers. On the other hand, the Irrawaddy Dolphins are found mostly in brackish water zones and that too in Chilika.

At least 146 endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins were sighted in Odisha’s Chilika lake during the annual dolphin census conducted by the state’s forest department.

The Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is the flagship species of Chilika lake. Chilika is home to the only known population of Irrawaddy Dolphins in India. One of only two lagoons in the world is home to this species — Irrawaddy Dolphins.

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Solution: d)

Solution: c)

India’s largest power generator NTPC Ltd said that it has raised a $750 million-worth term loan in Japanese yen, claiming it to be the “largest ever” Samurai loan raised by any Asian corporate.

Samurai loans allow non-Japanese firms to tap into the investment capital available in Japan and borrow funds in yen, which is among the currencies with the lowest interest rates. The cross border syndicated loan provides the borrower with capital to either enter the Japanese market or the ability to convert the proceeds into the firm’s local currency for use in existing operations.

NTPC said the loan was raised under the automatic route of RBI’s External Commercial Borrowing regulations and has been fully underwritten by the State Bank of India in Tokyo, Sumimoto Mitsui Banking Corporation in Singapore and Bank of India, Tokyo.

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Solution: c)

SRPF was raised for better protection of rhinos. The SRPF is basically a tiger protection force named after the rhino since the threat of poaching is more for the one-horned herbivore. The force would be exclusively used for Kaziranga National Park, Orang National Park and Manas National Park.  The Assam government would be paying the salaries of the SRPF members and the amount would be reimbursed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority. The process of setting up the special force was started in 2015.

The squad, raised in collaboration between the central and state governments, is an initiative of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

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