Species in News
Source: MB Subject: Species in news Context: In December 2025, scientists in India announced several significant new species discoveries, spanning from the high-altitude Eastern Himalayas to the rainforests of the Western Ghats. About Remarkable New Species Discovered in India in 2025: Bridgeoporus kanadii (A “Colossal” Fungi) What it is? A “colossal” new species of macro …
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Source: NIE Subject: Species in News Context: With the nesting season underway, wildlife authorities have set up sea turtle hatcheries at multiple locations along the Chennai coast to protect eggs and improve hatchling survival. About Olive Ridley Sea Turtles: What it is? The Olive Ridley sea turtle is one of the smallest and most abundant …
Source: IE Subject: Species in News Context: Scientists have detected cetacean morbillivirus in Arctic waters for the first time by using drones to collect whale breath (blow) samples, a non-invasive technique. About Cetacean morbillivirus: What it is? Cetacean morbillivirus is a highly infectious viral disease affecting marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, porpoises, and pilot …
Source: IE Subject: Species in News Context: Amazonian stingless bees have become the first insects in the world to be granted legal rights after Peruvian municipalities passed a landmark ordinance recognising their right to exist and flourish. About Amazon’s Stingless Bees: What they are? Stingless bees are a group of bees that either lack stingers …
Source: DTE Subject: Species in News Context: The Supreme Court, has strengthened safeguards for the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB) while revising transmission alignments under the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) in Rajasthan and Gujarat. About Great Indian Bustard (GIB): What it is? The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is one of the heaviest flying …
Source: TH Subject: Species in News Context: A recent international study shows that rhino dehorning has reduced poaching by nearly 75–78% in African reserves, offering a cost-effective conservation tool. About Rhinoceros (Rhino): What it is? The rhinoceros is a large, herbivorous mammal belonging to the family Rhinocerotidae. It is one of the oldest surviving megafauna, …
Source: DTE Subject: Species in News Context: Scientists have warned that Cyclone Senyar–triggered floods and landslides in Sumatra’s Batang Toru region may have killed 6–11% of the remaining Tapanuli orangutans. About Tapanuli orangutans: What it is? The Tapanuli orangutan is a critically endangered species of great ape, formally described as a distinct species in 2017, …
Source: TH Context: A captive-breeding programme at Sarahan Pheasantry, Himachal Pradesh, has successfully stabilised the Western Tragopan population, giving conservationists fresh hope. About Western Tragopan: What it is? The Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) — also called Jujurana or “king of birds” — is one of the world’s rarest pheasants and the state bird of Himachal …
Source: TH Subject: Species in News Context: BNHS will release six critically endangered vultures—slender-billed and white-rumped—into the wild in Assam in January 2026 as part of India’s long-term vulture recovery programme. About BNHS to Release Critically Endangered Vultures: About Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris) What it is? A critically endangered Old World vulture species native to …
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Source: TH Subject: Species in News Context: A newly photographed Great Nicobar Crake, possibly a new species of the Rallina genus, has been reported from Great Nicobar Island—only the third photographic record in over a decade. About Great Nicobar Crake: What it is? The Great Nicobar Crake is a medium-sized, potentially new Water Crake species …
Source: TH Subject: Species in News Context: RTI responses from 19 States/UTs revealed that no Forest Department has records of registered breeders or authorised pet shops dealing in African grey parrots despite their easy availability in Indian markets. About African Grey Parrot: What it is? The African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus) is a medium-sized, highly …
Source: IE Subject: Species in News Context: A new global report released at the IUCN Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi has warned that India’s dugong (sea cow) populations in the Gulf of Kutch, Gulf of Mannar–Palk Bay, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. About Dugong: What it is? Dugong (Dugong dugon) is a large herbivorous marine …
Source: NDTV Subject: Species in news Context: Thirty-one blackbucks died from a bacterial infection at Karnataka’s Kittur Rani Chennamma Zoo in Belagavi, prompting a high-level probe ordered by the state Forest Minister. About Blackbuck: What it is? The blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is a diurnal, grassland antelope native to the Indian subcontinent, known for its distinct …
Source: TH Subject: Species in news Context: The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) returned to spotlight after Supreme Court Justice P.S. Narasimha observed that Western-origin environmental doctrines like “inter-generational equity” are inadequate to save critically endangered species. About the Great Indian Bustard: What it is? The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is one of the heaviest flying …
Source: NIE Subject: Species in News Context: Himalayan black bears in Uttarakhand are turning unusually aggressive as erratic weather and delayed winter, linked to climate change, have disrupted their natural hibernation cycle—leading to a spike in human-wildlife conflict incidents. About Himalayan Black Bear: What it is? A subspecies of the Asiatic black bear, the Himalayan …
Source: NIE Context: India is set to bring another batch of eight cheetahs from Botswana by December 2025 under Project Cheetah, aimed at strengthening its ongoing reintroduction efforts after the species went extinct in 1952. About Project Cheetah: What it is? Project Cheetah is the world’s first intercontinental large carnivore translocation programme, launched by the …
Source: DD News Context: Over two dozen pilot whales were found stranded and dead-on New Zealand’s remote Twilight Beach, prompting a Maori-led recovery and spiritual closure (rahui). About Pilot Whale: What it is? Pilot whales are large oceanic dolphins belonging to the genus Globicephala, known for their strong social bonds and herding behavior that often …
Source: PIB Context: India celebrated International Snow Leopard Day (October 23, 2025) with the nationwide ‘#23for23’ campaign. Government also unveiled the first-ever national Snow Leopard Census, recording 718 individuals across the Indian Himalayas. About ‘23for23’ Initiative: What it is? A nationwide awareness campaign launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to …
Source: HT Context: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has, for the first time, evaluated the Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes) as a potential distinct species, listing it as ‘Vulnerable’ on the Red List with only about 3,000 individuals left in the wild About IUCN Classifies Indian Wolf as ‘Potential Distinct Species’: What …
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Source: IT Context: A new survey by the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department recorded 83 snow leopards in the state, up from 51 in 2021. About Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia): What it is? A large, elusive wild cat, often called the “ghost of the mountains” due to its natural camouflage and secretive behaviour. It is the …
