Assam Hosts 3,260 One-Horned Rhinos (80% of Global Population), Records Zero Poaching in 2025

Pygmy Hog Captive Breeding Boosts Population 32-Fold in Assam; Wild Survival Depends on Grassland Ecosystem

Assam's pygmy hog captive breeding programme has increased the population 32-fold in three decades, but the species' long-term survival hinges on restoring the alluvial floodplain grasslands. With only ~250 individuals left in the wild, the programme serves as an insurance group while habitat degradation remains the core threat.

Chhattisgarh Translocates Wild Buffalo from Assam: Population Drops to 12-16, IUCN Endangered

Chhattisgarh's state animal, the wild buffalo, is critically endangered with only 12-16 individuals remaining in the state. The forest department is now translocating wild buffaloes from Assam to boost the population, an experiment that has already succeeded at Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary. This is a high-yield UPSC topic covering conservation, Schedule I protection, and the Wild Buffalo Recovery Project.

Hurricane Polo Turns Category 5; Strong El Niño May Cause 451,000 Additional Global Heat Deaths

Hurricane Polo has intensified into a Category 5 storm off Mexico's Pacific coast, with maximum sustained winds of 270 kmph. This is unfolding against an unusually strong El Niño that the WMO expects to persist through February 2027. El Niño is being watched closely because it can disrupt rainfall worldwide—the Climate Impact Lab projects 451,000 additional heat-related deaths globally, including about 15,800 in India.

Asiatic Lion Population Crosses 1,000, 50% Outside Gir; CDV Threat Persists

Six decades of conservation have boosted the Asiatic lion population from ~100-150 to over 1,000, with nearly half now living outside Gir National Park. However, the species remains confined to a single landscape, facing threats from habitat fragmentation, disease (CDV outbreak in 2018), and a proposed limestone mining project that could sever a crucial movement corridor.

WCCB Links Wildlife SOS to Elephant Smuggling from Nepal & Leopard Poaching in MP

Wildlife SOS, a prominent NGO known for rescue operations, is under investigation for alleged involvement in leopard poaching and elephant smuggling from Nepal. The case raises critical questions about NGO accountability, wildlife crime networks, and regulatory oversight in conservation.

SC Mandates Minimum 1 km ESZ: Assam Notifies 1 km Buffer for Kaziranga, Defends Against 10 km Default

This news clarifies the legal framework for Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) around national parks – a key topic for UPSC Environment and Ecology. The Supreme Court's 2022 order mandating a minimum 1 km ESZ is a landmark judgment. Assam's move to notify 1 km for Kaziranga (UNESCO site) and the debate over the 10 km default highlights the balance between conservation and development, often tested in prelims (MCQ on ESZ minimum distance, SC order year) and mains (environmental governance, buffer zones).

CEC Notice to Assam on Construction in Kaziranga’s 9 Animal Corridors & 10-km ESZ

The Assam government has ignored repeated notices (2022, 2026) from the Supreme Court-constituted Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to provide details of illegal construction in 9 animal corridors of Kaziranga National Park and within 10 km of its Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). This highlights a critical conflict between development and wildlife conservation, with RTI activist Rohit Choudhury exposing the delay.

Project Cheetah: India-born KGP12 Gives Birth to 4 Cubs, Total Population Reaches 56

An India-born cheetah (KGP12) has given birth to four cubs at Kuno National Park, taking the total cheetah population in India to 56. This milestone comes a day after Project Cheetah completed four years, highlighting the progress and challenges of the world's first intercontinental cheetah reintroduction program.