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- Why in News?
- Wildlife authorities have confirmed a significant decline in the blackbuck population within Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary in Punjab over recent years.
- Key Provisions:-
- The blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is an antelope species native to India and Nepal, recognized for its speed, keen eyesight, and striking appearance.
- Males are easily identified by their dark coat and spiral horns, while females are smaller with simpler horns.
- Though listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, blackbucks are protected under Schedule I of India’s Wildlife Protection Act, indicating high conservation priority. They typically inhabit open grasslands and scrublands.
- The Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary, unique for being entirely composed of community-owned land from 13 Bishnoi villages, was once a stronghold of the blackbuck. Despite being Punjab’s state animal, habitat loss and other pressures have reduced their numbers. The sanctuary also supports diverse flora and fauna, including wild boars, jackals, and native plant species like Acacia and Albizia.
- Why in News?
- Following the devastating floods in Texas, public debate has intensified over the role and risks of cloud seeding technology.
- Key Provisions:-
- Cloud seeding involves the artificial stimulation of rainfall by dispersing specific substances into clouds to encourage precipitation.
- First developed in 1946 by Vincent J. Schaefer, a U.S. chemist and meteorologist, the technique has evolved to use various methods—aircraft, rockets, cannons, and ground-based generators. The most common agents used include silver iodide and dry ice (solid carbon dioxide), particularly effective in supercooled clouds, where they help water vapor crystallize into ice. These ice crystals grow and fall, often melting into rain. In warmer clouds, calcium chloride is used to encourage droplet formation. While widely used in drought-prone regions to enhance rainfall or reduce hail, concerns about unintended consequences—such as extreme weather events or environmental impact—have resurfaced in light of recent climate disasters like the floods in Texas.
- Why in News?
- A recent earthquake swarm has struck Mount Rainier, with over 300 small tremors recorded—marking the volcano’s most significant seismic activity since 2009, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
- Though most of the quakes were minor, such swarms are closely monitored due to Rainier's status as an active stratovolcano.
- Key Provisions:-
- Rising 4,392 meters, Mount Rainier is the tallest peak in Washington State and is surrounded by the largest glacier system on a single mountain in the U.S. outside of Alaska. Formed through repeated volcanic eruptions over the past million years, Rainier last erupted about 150 years ago. Its proximity to the Seattle metropolitan area makes it one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes.
- It is one of 16 Decade Volcanoes identified by the IAVCEI for prioritized monitoring. The mountain features three main peaks, numerous glaciers including Nisqually Glacier, and is known for its lush forests, vibrant meadows, and rich biodiversity.