About Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It is located in the Southern Western Ghats in the Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu. 
• It was established as a Tiger Reseve in 1988.
• This reserve is a mixture of three main sanctuaries: Kalakad Sanctuary, Mundanthurai Sanctuary, and a part of Kanyakumari Sanctuary.
• Nestled between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the Agastya Malai Hill Range forms the core area of the sanctuary and is part of one of the world's 18 biodiversity hotspots. 
• The reserve is also known as the “River Sanctuary”, with as many as 14 rivers originating from this Tiger Reserve.
• Terrain: Undulating with several valleys and porous rocks.
• Vegetation:
  • It varies from thorny shrub jungles to lush evergreen forests.
  • In addition to forests, savannah woodlands, and grasslands, there are tea and coffee plantations within the reserve.
  • Flora: Important species include Sarcandra, Paphiopedulum, druryi, Hopea parviflora, Hopea utilis, Calophylum elatum, Cullenia exarillata, etc.
• Fauna: Tiger, leopard, rusty spotted cat, wild dog, sloth bear, elephant, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, mouse deer, nilgiri langur, slender loris, bonnet macaque, lion tailed macaque, etc.

Q1) What is a Public Interest Litigation (PIL)?

According to the Supreme Court (in Janata Dal v. H.S.Chaudhary, 1993) Public Interest Litigation (PIL)  means a legal action started in a court of law for the enforcement of public/general interest where the public or a particular class of the public have some interest (including pecuniary interest) that affects their legal rights or liabilities.Public Interest is the interest belonging to a particular class of the community that affects their legal rights or liabilities.

Source: Plea to restrict entry of outsiders inside Kalakkad - Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve to protect flora, fauna

About Financial Stability Board (FSB):

• FSB was established by the G20 in 2009 in the wake of the financial crisis. 
• Mandate: It was created expressly to coordinate at the international level the work of national financial authorities and international standard-setting bodies and to develop and promote the implementation of effective regulatory, supervisory, and other financial sector policies in the interest of financial stability.
• The FSB brings together national authorities responsible for financial stability (central banks, supervisory authorities, and finance ministries), international organisations, and standard-setting bodies.
• The FSB operates by monitoring, analyzing, and making recommendations on key aspects of the financial system. It assesses emerging issues that could impact global financial stability.
• The FSB’s decisions are not legally binding on its members.
• Headquarters: Basel, Switzerland.
• Members:
  • The FSB consists of 68 member institutions. It comprises several central banks, ministries of finance, and supervisory and regulatory authorities from 25 jurisdictions, as well as 10 international organizations and six Regional Consultative Groups (RCGs).
  • The board includes all G20 major economies.
• Structure:
  • The Plenary, which serves as the sole decision-making body.
  • The Steering Committee, which takes forward operational work in between plenary meetings.
  • Three Standing Committees, each with specific but complementary responsibilities.
• India and FSB: India is an active member of the FSB, having three seats in its Plenary represented by the Secretary (Dept of Economic Affairs), Deputy Governor-RBI, and Chairman-SEBI.

Q1) What are Hedge Funds?

Hedge funds are a type of investment fund that pools capital from accredited individuals and institutional investors to invest in a diverse range of assets and investment strategies. These funds are typically operated by professional investment managers or fund managers. Hedge funds aim to generate returns for their investors and are known for their flexibility in pursuing various investment strategies.

Source: Top financial regulator seeks global clampdown on hedge fund borrowing

About Staghorn coral: 

• It is one of the most important corals in the Caribbean.
• It, along with elkhorn coral and star corals built Caribbean coral reefs over the last 5,000 years.
• Staghorn coral can form dense groups called “thickets” in very shallow water.
• These provide important habitat for other reef animals, especially fish.
• Appearance
  • Staghorn coral colonies are golden tan or pale brown with white tips and they get their color from the algae that live within their tissue.
  • These corals have antler-like branches and typically stem out from a central trunk and angle upward.
  • Each staghorn coral colony is made up of many individual polyps that grow together. 
• These coral get food from photosynthetic algae that live inside the coral's cells. They also feed by capturing plankton with their polyps’ tentacles.
• Distribution:
  • It is found typically in clear, shallow water (15–60 feet) on coral reefs throughout the Bahamas, Florida, and the Caribbean.
  • The northern extent of the range in the Atlantic Ocean is Palm Beach County, Florida, where it is relatively rare.
  • They live in many coral reef habitats including spur and groove, bank reef, patch reef, and transitional reef habitats, as well as on limestone ridges, terraces, and hard bottom habitats.
• Lifespan & Reproduction
  • These coral reaches reproductive maturity at about 7 inches tall.
  • Staghorn coral is a simultaneous hermaphrodite, meaning each colony produces both eggs and sperm, but usually does not self-fertilize.
  • This coral sexually reproduces once per year after the full moon in late summer by “broadcast spawning” eggs and sperm into the water column.
  • Fertilized eggs develop into larvae that settle on hard surfaces and form new colonies. 
• Threats
  • Climate change
  • Diseases: It is particularly susceptible to white band and white plague diseases.
  • Unsustainable Fishing Pressure

What is White band disease?

• It is a common tissue loss disease. 
• Studies suggest that white band disease is caused by a communicable agent, however, a specific pathogen has not yet been definitively identified.

Q1) What is Algae?

Algae are a diverse group of photosynthetic organisms that can be found in various aquatic and moist environments, including freshwater and marine ecosystems. They belong to the kingdom Protista or Plantae, depending on the classification system used.

Source: Genomic markers of disease resistance in staghorn corals

About Badis limaakumi:

• It is a new badis fish species discovered in Nagaland.
• It is locally known by many names, like “Tepdang” or “Akngashi (Chungli)” or “Aokngatsü (Mongsen)” or “Sempi” etc.
• It appears black in its natural habitat but undergoes a remarkable color change when placed in an aquarium or different environments.
• Features:
  • It has a comparatively large and slender body.
  • Absence of blotches on the sides and fins, as well as on the cleithrum.
  • Large number of lateral-line scales.

Key Facts about Badis species:

• It is a genus of small freshwater fish belonging to the family Badidae.
• Fish from the Badis species are also called Chameleon fish due to their ability to change colour rapidly when breeding, when wanting to blend into their surroundings, or when stressed.
• Distribution: They are found in freshwater bodies like rivers, ponds, and marshes in northern India, eastern Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal, including the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Mahanadi, and Indus basins.
• Currently, there are about 25 recognized badis species, out of which 15 have been reported from India.
• They are predatory in nature, feeding on tiny freshwater invertebrates.

Q1) What are Fish blotches?

When referring to "fish blotches," it typically pertains to irregular or discolored markings or patterns on the skin or scales of fish. These blotches can be caused by various factors, including genetics, environmental conditions, diseases, or injuries. The appearance and significance of fish blotches can vary depending on the species of fish and the underlying causes. 

Source: New fish species discovered in Nagaland, scientist names it after collaborator

About Macrophages:

• Macrophages are a type of white blood cell that plays an important role in the human immune system.
• They are involved in the detection, phagocytosis, and destruction of bacteria and other harmful organisms.
• The term macrophage is formed by the combination of the Greek terms "makro" meaning big, and "phagein" meaning eat.
• They are essential for the maintenance and defence of host tissues, doing so by sensing and engulfing particulate matter and, when necessary, initiating a pro-inflammatory response. 
• They can modify themselves to form different structures in order to fight various different microbes and invaders. In this way, macrophages provide the first line of defense in protecting the host from infection.
• They are also involved in the development of non-specific or innate immunity.
• Macrophages produce a variety of cytokines, which are signaling molecules that communicate with other cells of the immune system. Cytokines play a role in inflammation, tissue repair, and the adaptive immune response.
• They migrate to and circulate within almost every tissue, patrolling for pathogens or eliminating dead cells.
• Macrophages may have different names according to where they function in the body. For example, macrophages present in the brain are termed microglia and in the liver sinusoids, they are called Kupffer cells.

What is Cellular Senescence?

• It refers to a state of stable cell cycle arrest in which proliferating cells become resistant to growth-promoting stimuli, typically in response to DNA damage. 
• During this phase, the cell undergoes numerous phenotypic and metabolic changes.
• Senescent cells accumulate during ageing and have been implicated in promoting a variety of age-related diseases.
• Cellular senescence can compromise tissue repair and regeneration, thereby contributing towards ageing.
• Removal of senescent cells can attenuate age-related tissue dysfunction and extend the health span.
• Senescence can also act as a potent anti-tumour mechanism by preventing the proliferation of potentially cancerous cells.

Q1) What is a Cell cycle?

A cell cycle is a series of events that takes place in a cell as it grows and divides. A cell spends most of its time in what is called interphase, and during this time it grows, replicates its chromosomes, and prepares for cell division. The cell then leaves interphase, undergoes mitosis, and completes its division.

Source: Senescent immune cells promote lung tumor growth: Study

About Intelligent Grievance Monitoring System (IGMS) 2.0:

• It is a public grievance portal and Automated Analysis in Tree Dashboard portal of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
• It has been implemented by IIT Kanpur.
• Objectives: The Dashboard provides instant tabular analysis of Grievances Filed & Disposed, State-wise & District-wise Grievances Filed & Ministry-wise data.
• It will also help the officials identify the root cause of the grievance.
• This portal will help the DARPG with creation of draft letters for selected scheme/ministry and expedite the grievance redressal process by the concerned ministry/department.
• It has been enabled with Artificial intelligence (AI) capacity.

What is CPGRAMS?

• Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) is an online platform available to the citizens 24x7 to lodge their grievances to the public authorities on any subject related to service delivery.
• It is a single portal connected to all the Ministries/Departments of Government of India and States.
• Every Ministry and States has role-based access to this system.
• It is also accessible to the citizens through standalone mobile application downloadable through Google Play store and mobile application integrated with UMANG.
• The status of the grievance filed in CPGRAMS can be tracked with the unique registration ID provided at the time of registration of the complainant.

Q1) What is Artificial intelligence?

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines, allowing them to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as problem-solving, learning, reasoning, understanding natural language, and recognizing patterns.

Source: Dr Jitendra Singh launches the Intelligent Grievance Monitoring System (IGMS) 2.0 Public Grievance portal and Automated Analysis in Tree Dashboard portal of DARPG

About Sycamore tree: 

• It was located in a dip between two hills, at a gap in the Hadrian Wall – an old stone structure that is close to the border between England and Scotland – in Northumberland, northern England.
• The ‘gaps’ are essentially channels, which were “naturally chipped away by vast amounts of meltwater flowing beneath the ice sheets that once covered the area,” thousands of years ago. 
• Features:
  • This tree can become extremely tall as they mature – reaching a height of up to 35 metres.
  • They are commonly found in the UK and have leaves similar to that of a maple tree.
  • The bark is dark pink-grey, and smooth when young, but becomes cracked and develops small plates with age. 
  • A sycamore can live for as long as 400 years.
• Distribution: It is native to central, eastern and southern Europe, it is believed to have been introduced to the UK by the Romans or in the Tudor era around the 1500s.

What is the Hadrian Wall?

• It is part of a larger UNESCO World Heritage Site called the ‘Frontiers of the Roman Empire’ and is found in the UK and Germany.

Q1) What  is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

These are places of cultural, historical, scientific, or natural significance that have been recognized and protected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). These sites are considered to be of outstanding value to humanity, and their preservation is seen as a global responsibility.

Source: UK’s beloved Sycamore Gap cut down: The tree and its significance

About Pygmy hog: 

• It is the smallest and rarest species of wild pig in the world.
• It is one of the very few mammals that build its own home, or nest, complete with a ‘roof’.
• It is an indicator species as its presence reflects the health of its primary habitat, tall and wet grasslands.
• Habitat: It prefers undisturbed patches of grassland dominated by early succession riverine communities, typically comprising dense tall grass intermixed with a wide variety of herbs, shrubs and young trees.
• Currently, the viable population of this pig in the wild is in the Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam.
• Conservation status:
  • IUCN: Critically Endangered
  • The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

Key facts about Manas National Park

• It is located in the state of Assam. It is contiguous with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan.
• It is a national park, UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, a Project Tiger reserve, an elephant reserve and a biosphere reserve.
• Flora: It contains some of the largest remaining grassland habitats in the sub-Himalayan grassland ecosystems.
• Fauna: The Park is known for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife such as the Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur and pygmy hog.
• The Manas River is a major tributary of Brahmaputra River, which passes through the Manas National Park.

Q1) What  are Indicator species?

Indicator species are organisms that can provide valuable information about the environmental conditions of an ecosystem. They are particularly sensitive to changes in their environment, and their presence, absence, or abundance can be used as an indicator of the overall health and quality of that environment.

Source: 18 rare pygmy hogs reintroduced in their historical home in Assam