Current Affairs April 2019 - Environment
1 - Two new birds spotted in North Kerala’s Aralam sanctuary during a recent bird survey
The Woolly-necked Stork and White-bellied Drongo, both dry-land species of birds have been spotted in North Kerala’s Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary during The 19th bird survey.
The survey was conducted jointly by the forest and wildlife department and the Malabar Natural History Society (MNHS).
2 - Phayeng Village of Manipur tagged as India’s first carbon-positive settlement
Phayeng, a scheduled caste village of the Chakpa community in Imphal West district of Manipur has been tagged as India’s first carbon-positive settlement.
Also, it has been revived from the funding under National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC), which is a central scheme launched in 2015-16 to support adaptation for climate change impact in various states.
3 - India's "Hump-backed mahseer", freshwater fish added in "Critically Endangered" list
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species added hump-backed mahseer, also known as ‘Tor remadevii’ or ‘tiger of water’ in critically endangered species list.
It is freshwater fish endemic to the Western Ghats of South India and only found in Kaveri River basins.
4 - Meteorological Department issues 'Yellow' weather warning for Himachal Pradesh
The Meteorological Department issued a yellow weather warning for rain in Himachal Pradesh by forecasting thunderstorm with hail in isolated places over the state.
Code color yellow is the least dangerous weather warning which indicates the possibility of severe weather over the next few days that could affect people.
5 - A group of jumping spiders spotted for the first time in Ernakulam’s Illithodu forests, Kerala
A new species of jumping spiders named "Habrocestum longispinum" has been spotted in Ernakulam’s Illithodu forests, Kerala by the arachnologists from Kochi’s Sacred Heart College, Thevara. This new species belong to the genus Habrocestum, is being found in Eurasia and Africa.
6 - Periyar river in Kerala turns black
Kerala's Periyar River has turned black near the Pathalam Regulator cum Bridge. This discolouration of Periyar and fish kills have been a serious issue for last couple of years.
About hundred Indian anchovies (Kozhuva) fishes were found dead along the banks of the Muttar river,a tributary of the Periyar.
7 - Rs 100-crore penalty imposed on Andhra Pradesh Govt. by National Green Tribunal (NGT)
National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a penalty of Rs 100 crore on the Andhra Pradesh government for illegal sand mining in the state.
Penalty has been imposed on the lines of plea filed by Andhra Pradesh resident Anumolu Gandhi, alleging illegal sand mining was causing damage to Krishna, Godavari rivers and their tributaries in the state.
8 - The death toll from destructive Cyclone Idai rises above 1,000
The death toll from the cyclone idai that crashed southeast Africa last month has risen above 1000, while more than 4000 cholera cases and seven deaths from the illness reported.
The Cyclone hit Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi on March 14.
It is the second-deadliest tropical cyclone recorded in the South-West Indian Ocean basin, after 1892 Mauritius cyclone.
9 - Last known female of Yangtze giant softshell turtle dies in China zoo
The last known female member of Yangtze giant softshell turtle, 90 years old, died in Suzhou Zoo, China.
Now, there are only three left in the world. The Wildlife Conservations Society (WCS) declares the Yangtze giant softshell turtle the world's most critically endangered turtle species.
10 - NASA spotted lakes filled with Methane on Saturn's moon Titan
NASA's (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Cassini spacecraft has made an incredible observation about the extraordinary deep lakes filled with methane in the Saturn's moon, Titan.
This new study has been published in the scientific journal Astronomy.
11 - Scientists unearth 220-million-year-old dinosaurs’ fossils in San Juan province
In San Juan province, western Argentina, scientists from University of San Juan have discovered a site containing fossils of nearly a dozen dinosaurs.
It is 220 million year old and belonging to an unknown era. They were found at the Ischigualasto National Park.
12 - UN List Bhopal Gas Tragedy as one of the world’s ‘Major Industrial Accident’ in 20th century
UN labour agency International Labour Organisation (ILO) in its recent report titled “The Safety and the Health at the Heart of the Future of Work- Building on 100 years of Experience” termed Bhopal Gas
Tragedy as one of the world’s ‘major industrial accident’ which killed more than 15,000 people due to the result of at least 30 tons of highly toxic Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) gas leak in Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal in 1984.
