General Awareness

ENVIRONMENT - July 2023

Jul 2023

Oct 01, 2025

India's First Dugong Reserve in Palk Bay Gains Global Recognition at IUCN Congress

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) adopted a motion recognising India's first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay, marking a major international endorsement of the country's marine conservation efforts.
The motion, proposed by the Omcar Foundation and adopted at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi, won support from members worldwide. Among governments, 98% voted in favour, while 94.8% of NGOs, research institutions, and organisations backed the resolution.

Sep 30, 2025

New Farming Technology Holds Potential to Stop Desertification

An innovative experiment, in September 2025, to grow wheat for the first time in the arid land, using desert 'soilification' technology powered by an indigenous bioformulation, holds the potential to stop the expansion of western Rajasthan's Thar desert towards the National Capital Region. The desertification process has speeded up with gradual destruction of the Aravali ranges.
Amid the changes in the rainfall pattern, spread of sand dunes, unscientific plantation drives and degradation of land, the researchers at the Central University of Rajasthan (CUoR) here have taken up an experiment for wheat farming, fighting against odds and coming to terms with the harsh desert ecology.

Sep 29, 2025

Cold Desert Biosphere & New Ramsar Sites: India's Conservation Leap

India marked two significant environmental achievements. First, the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve in Himachal Pradesh was included in UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves in September 2025.
With this addition, India now has 13 biosphere reserves listed in the prestigious global network, underscoring the country's commitment to biodiversity conservation and community-driven sustainable development.
Second, two new wetlands in Bihar — Gokul Jalashay and Udaipur Jheel — earned the Ramsar site status, bringing India's total to 93 such internationally important wetlands. These developments reinforce India's commitment to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem resilience, and sustainable development.

Sep 26, 2025

First sighting of Fishing Cat in Ramgarh Vishdhari

Marking a significant addition to Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve's (RVTR) small cat population, a Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) was seen on camera for the first time, in 2025, inside the reserve.
The cat was seen during routine tiger monitoring activities conducted jointly by the field biologist of RVTR and the Dalelpura tiger tracking team. Camera trap evidence obtained from Ramgarh Range in Bundi confirmed the presence of the species.
Until now, RVTR hosted four small cat species: Jungle Cat (Felis chaus), Rusty-spotted Cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus), Asiatic Wildcat (Felis lybica ornata), and Caracal (Caracal caracal). With the Fishing Cat, the reserve now supports five small cat species, underscoring the diversity of its carnivore assemblage.

Sep 25, 2025

New 'Megaraptor' Species Found With Shocking Last Meal Still in Its Mouth

Paleontologists, in September 2025, discovered a new species of megaraptor dinosaur in Argentina, along with a startling clue about what it ate. Named Joaquinraptor casali, the apex predator apparently ate crocodiles, judging by the leg bone found in its mouth.
As the name suggests, megaraptors were a clade of carnivorous dinosaurs that looked like giant versions of the raptors made famous in Jurassic Park. In this case, the researchers estimate that Joaquinraptor was more than 7 meters (23 feet) long, nose to tail, and weighed over 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds).
With no tyrannosaurs around in that part of the world, Joaquinraptor would likely have enjoyed life at the top of the food chain. This fossil find includes some of the most direct evidence of a megaraptor diet so far, which seemed to include the ancient ancestors of crocodiles.

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