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1. Identify the place where Pensilungpa Glacier is located?
Ladakh (Zanskar Valley). According to a recent study by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), the Pensilungpa Glacier located in Ladakh’s Zanskar Valley is retreating due to increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation during winters. It is located at the north western corner of Zanskar valley, Ladakh. Major part of the ablation zone of the glacier is debris covered. From the snout of this glacier river Suru originated. The glacier falls in the monsoon-arid transition zone.
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2. The ‘Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary’ recently designated Ramsar site is located in?
Haryana. Recently, the Ramsar Convention has designated four new wetlands in India, as wetlands of global importance (Sultanpur National Park in Haryana, Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat, Wadhwana Wetland from Gujarat). Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest wetland in Haryana is a human-made freshwater wetland. Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
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3. The ‘Halam communities’ recently seen in news belong to which state in India?
Tripura. Ethnically, Halam communities (categorised as a scheduled tribe in Tripura) belong to the Kuki-Chin tribes of Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group. Their language is also more or less similar to that of the Tibeto-Burman family. Halams are also known as Mila Kuki, though they are not at all Kukis in terms of language, culture and living style. As per 2011 Census, their total population is 57,210 and distributed throughout the State. Halams live in typical "Tong Ghar" specially made of bamboo and Chan grass. Apart from plain land cultivation they still practice Jhum cultivation and depend on both the activities beside other substitute works.
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4. The ‘Cascade frog’ species was recently discovered from which state in India?
Arunachal Pradesh. Recently, a team of researchers have discovered a new species of cascade frog in Arunachal Pradesh named Adi Cascade Frog. It is a predominantly brown colour frog, with a size ranging roughly between 4 cm to 7 cm. It is formally described as Amolops adicolasp, which is morphologically distinguished from its congeners by a suite of characters that include adult size, body colouration and markings, skin texture, snout shape, foot webbing and digit tip morphology. It has been named Adi Cascade Frog (Amolops Adicola) after the indigenous Adi tribe living in the Adi hills of Arunachal Pradesh. The literal meaning of Adi is “hill” or “mountain top. Historically, this region was also known as Abor hills.
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5. Identify the World Heritage site which comprises mainly the remnants of the capital city of the Vijayanagara Empire and located on the bank of river Tungabhadra?
Hampi (Bellary District, Karnataka). The site of Hampi comprises mainly the remnants of the capital city of the Vijayanagara Empire (14th-16th century CE), the last great Hindu Kingdom. It encompasses an area of 4187, 24 hectares, located in the Tungabhadra basin in Bellary District, Central Karnataka. Hampi’s spectacular setting is dominated by river Tungabhadra, craggy hill ranges and open plains with widespread physical remains. In 1986, Hampi was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
