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- The High Court recently issued notices to the South Western Railway and the Directorate of Survey and Land Records (DSLR) in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging land acquisition proceedings for the Bhagwan Mahavir (Mollem) Wildlife Sanctuary.
- About Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary:
- Located in the Western Ghats, the sanctuary lies along the eastern border of Goa, near the village of Mollem.
- Initially named the Mollem Game Sanctuary, it was designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1969 and later renamed the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary.
- The sanctuary also encompasses the Mollem National Park.
- It spans 240 square kilometers.
- Home to the renowned Dudhsagar Waterfall, Devil’s Canyon, the Tambdi Surla Temple, Tambdi Falls, and several other historical and religious landmarks.
- Vegetation: A mix of West Coast tropical evergreen forests, West Coast semi-evergreen forests, and moist deciduous forests.
- Flora: Predominantly Teak, Bamboo, Cashew, and Eucalyptus trees.
- Fauna: Habitat to species such as Gaur, Sambar, Leopards, Spotted Deer, Slender Tories, Jungle Cats, Malayan Giant Squirrels, Pythons, and Cobras.
- A US Marine Corps (USMC) F-35B Lightning II recently completed its inaugural test missions with the Meteor air-to-air missile.
- About Meteor Missile:
- The Meteor is a cutting-edge, radar-guided, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM).
- Developed by a consortium of European partners led by MBDA, it is designed to meet the requirements of six European nations: the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Sweden.
- Features:
- The missile has a length of 3.65 meters and a diameter of 0.178 meters.
- Unlike many similar solid-fuel missiles, the Meteor features a ramjet engine, providing enhanced speed control, complex maneuvers, and a range exceeding 100 kilometers.
- Capable of speeds over Mach 4, the missile creates a large no-escape zone.
- With an advanced active radar seeker, the Meteor is capable of engaging a wide array of targets under all weather conditions, from nimble fighter jets to smaller UAVs and cruise missiles.
- It includes a two-way datalink, enabling the launch platform to transmit updates or change the missile’s target mid-flight.
- The datalink also provides real-time information on the missile's kinematic status and confirms target acquisition by the seeker.
- The missile carries a blast-fragmentation warhead.
- The carcass of a green sea turtle was recently found washed ashore on Marina Beach in Chennai.
- About Green Sea Turtle:
- The green sea turtle is the largest of the hard-shelled sea turtles.
- Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas
- Green sea turtles are unique among sea turtles because they are herbivores, primarily feeding on seagrasses and algae. This diet gives their fat a greenish hue (not their shells), which is the source of their name.
- Distribution:
- Green sea turtles are found worldwide, mostly in tropical and subtropical waters.
- They nest along the coastlines of more than 80 countries, with the largest nesting populations found in Costa Rica and Australia.
- Like other sea turtles, they migrate long distances between feeding grounds and nesting sites, with recorded journeys over 1,615 miles (2,600 kilometers).
- Features:
- Green sea turtles are large, reaching up to 120 cm in length and weighing between 136 and 159 kg.
- They have relatively small heads compared to their bodies.
- Their smooth carapace (upper shell) can range in shape from sub-circular to heart-shaped and is colored in shades of black, grey, green, brown, and yellow, while their plastron (bottom shell) is yellowish-white.
- The carapace is made of large, hard scales called scutes.
- Green sea turtles lack teeth but have modified "beaks" adapted to their herbivorous diet.
- They do not have visible ears; instead, their eardrums are covered by skin. They are most sensitive to low-frequency sounds and have an excellent sense of smell.
- Their vision is good underwater, though they are nearsighted when out of the water.
- Their streamlined bodies and large flippers make them highly adapted to life in the sea.
- Lifespan: Estimated to be 60-70 years.
- Conservation Status:
- IUCN Red List: Endangered.