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- As the monsoon season draws to a close, Kuno National Park is gearing up to enhance its prey population for cheetahs.
- About Kuno National Park:
- Location:
- Situated in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh.
- Nestled near the scenic Vindhyan Hills.
- Named after the Kuno River, a significant tributary of the Chambal River that flows through the park.
- Originally designated as a wildlife sanctuary, it was officially declared a national park in 2018.
- Kuno National Park is part of the ‘Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India.’
- Vegetation:
- The park is predominantly a grassland area, with occasional rocky outcrops.
- Flora:
- The forested regions are primarily characterized by Kardhai, Salai, and Khair trees, making it a mixed forest ecosystem.
- Fauna:
- This protected area is home to a variety of wildlife, including the jungle cat, Indian leopard, sloth bear, Indian wolf, striped hyena, golden jackal, Bengal fox, and dhole, along with over 120 bird species.
- Alzheimer's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, presents a significant global health concern, especially as the elderly population continues to rise.
- About Alzheimer's Disease:
- Overview:
- It is a brain disorder that leads to a gradual decline in memory, thinking, learning, and organizational abilities.
- Prevalence:
- Alzheimer’s is the most prevalent form of dementia, representing 60-80% of all dementia cases.
- Impact on the Brain:
- The disease affects areas of the brain responsible for thought, memory, and language.
- Daily Life:
- It can severely impair a person’s capacity to perform daily activities.
- Age Factor:
- The condition primarily affects individuals aged 65 and older, with only 10% of cases occurring in those younger than this.
- Causes:
- The precise cause of Alzheimer’s disease remains unclear, but it is thought to result from a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
- Symptoms:
- Early indicators include forgetting recent events or conversations, which can escalate to significant memory issues and an inability to perform routine tasks.
- Treatment:
- While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, various medications and therapies may help manage symptoms temporarily.
- China has launched the second phase of construction aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the Five-Hundred Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST).
- About the Five-Hundred Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST):
- Location:
- Situated in Guizhou Province, China, it is the world’s largest and most sensitive radio telescope, boasting a receiving area equivalent to 30 football fields.
- Dimensions:
- The telescope measures 500 meters in diameter.
- Scientific Goals:
- Detect neutral hydrogen at the edge of the universe and reconstruct images of the early universe.
- Discover pulsars, establish a pulsar timing array, and engage in pulsar navigation and gravitational wave detection in the future.
- Collaborate with the International Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry Network to analyze hyperfine structures of celestial bodies.
- Conduct high-resolution radio spectral surveys to detect weak signals from space.
- Participate in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
- FAST utilizes a data management system developed by the International Center for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) in Perth, Australia, and the European Southern Observatory (ESO) to handle the vast amounts of data it produces.
- The second day of a National Level Multi-Stakeholder Consultative Workshop on Sustainable Oil Palm Cultivation, part of the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), recently took place.
- About the National Mission for Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP):
- Launch:
- Initiated by the Government of India in August 2021, NMEO-OP aims to significantly boost oil palm cultivation and crude palm oil production.
- Focus Areas:
- This Centrally Sponsored Scheme particularly targets the northeastern region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with an emphasis on expanding the area and enhancing the productivity of oilseeds and oil palm.
- Financial Outlay:
- The scheme has a total financial outlay of Rs. 11,040 crores, with Rs. 8,844 crores funded by the Government of India and Rs. 2,196 crores contributed by the states, which includes viability gap funding.
- Targets:
- Increase the area dedicated to oil palm cultivation from 3.5 lakh hectares in 2019-20 to 10 lakh hectares by 2025-26 (an increase of 6.50 lakh hectares).
- Boost crude palm oil production from 0.27 lakh tonnes in 2019-20 to 11.20 lakh tonnes by 2025-26.
- Raise consumer awareness to maintain a consumption level of 19.00 kg per person per annum until 2025-26.
- Implementing Stakeholders:
- The initiative will involve various stakeholders, including the State Departments of Agriculture and Horticulture, Central Universities, ICAR institutions, CDDs, SAUs, KVKs, Central Agencies/Cooperatives, oil palm processors/associations, and media channels like DD Kisan, AIR, and DD TV.
- A recent study has revealed that the overexploitation of 25 species of medicinal host plants has negatively impacted swallowtail butterflies in the forests along the northern bank of the Brahmaputra River.
- About Swallowtail Butterflies:
- Taxonomy:
- Swallowtail butterflies belong to the family Papilionidae within the order Lepidoptera.
- Taxonomy:
- Appearance:
- They are named for the distinctive tail-like extensions found on their hindwings, although several species do not possess these tails.
- Distribution:
- Swallowtail butterflies (genus Papilio) are distributed globally, with the exception of the Arctic region. India is home to 77 out of the 573 swallowtail species identified worldwide.
- Mimicry:
- Many swallowtail species have evolved to mimic the coloration and patterns of butterflies that are unpalatable to predators.
- Threats:
- Key threats to these butterflies include illegal cattle farming in protected areas, agricultural expansion and tea cultivation near their habitats, illegal logging, and pesticide application, all contributing to their population decline.
- Ecological Importance:
- Butterflies are crucial indicators of environmental health, as their presence, abundance, and diversity can reflect broader ecological conditions.