JANUARY TO FEBRUARY WILDLIFE & ENVIRONMENT CA IN 2026

JANUARY - 

* Assam Reports Zero Rhino Poaching In 2025. 

* India Loses 165 Tigers in 2025

MADHYA PRADESH - 55 

MAHARASHTRA - 28 

KARNATAKA - 22 

UTTARAKHAND - 18 

ASSAM - 12 

RAJASTHAN -11 

* 

FIRST SIGHT - 

*  Karnataka Records Its First' Sandalwood Leopard 

CROCODILE CENSUS - 

* A Total Of 1858 Salt Water Crocodile Counted in Odisha 

- 531 Hatchling (28.58%)

- 442 Yearlings ( 23.79%)

- 365 Juvenile ( 19.64%)

- 167 Sub Adults - ( 8.99%(

- 353 Adults ( 19%)

NEW SPECIES = 

* * CALAMARIA MIZORAMENSIS, A NEW REED SNAKE SPECIES DISCOVERD IN MIZORAM.

* IT IS BASED ON DNA 

* THIS IS THE NON - VENOMOUS REED SNAKE 

* 

NEW PL\ANT SPECIES - 

'* * HEPTAPLEURUM ANAMUDIANUM, AMRUTH, ROBI & SUJANA, A NEW SPECIES OF ARALIACEAE HAS DISCOVERD IN ANAMUDI HILLS, IDUKKI DISTRICT, KERALA.

* THIS SPECIES DISTINGUISH BY ITS LEAF TAXONOMY.

* 

* RESEARCHERS FROM NAGALAND UNIVERSITY HAVE FOUND A NEW PLANT SPECIES IN PHEK.

* NEW SPECIES - HOYA NAGAENSIS ( NAGAENSIS FROM NAGALAND) & NAGA COMMUNITY 

( FAMILY - APOCYNACEAE) 

* SUB FAMILY - ASCLEPIADOIDEAE 

* THE SPECIES DISCOVERD IN PHEK DISTRICT FOREST IN NAGALAND 

* 

TWO NEW FROG SPECIES - 

* RESEARCHERS FROM DELHI AND HARVARD UNIVERSITY HAVE DISCOVERED TWO NEW FROG SPECIES IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH. ( HERPETOLOGIST DR S D BIJU FROM DELHI UNIVERSITY) 

* LEPTOBRACHIUM SOMANI ( SOMAN'S SLENDER ARMED FROG) 

* LEPTOBRACHIUM MECHUKA ( MECHUKA SLENDER ARMED FROG) 

* THESE TWO SPECIES HAVE DISCOVERED IN LOWER DIBANG VALLEY AND SHI - YOMI DISTRICT 

* 

TWO NEW SNAIL SPECIES - 

* RESEARCHERS FROM EUROPE HAS DISCOVERD THREE NEW GENERA OF SMALL  LAND SNAIL SPECIES FROM HIMALAYA AND MIZORAM. 

* Chamalycaeus Ganeshaiahi 

* Cycloryx Rohiniae ( From Blue Mountain, Mizoram) 

* Dicharax  Umashaankeri, From Blue Mountain, Mizoram 

* NEWLY DISCOVERED SPECIES NAMED IN HONOUR TO TRUSTEE OF ATREE - Rohini Nilekani, R Uma Shaanker, K N Ganeshaiah 

* * RESEARCHERS HAVE DISCOVERED THREE NEW SPECIES OF MUSICAL KATYDIDS IN KASHMIR.

* CONOCEPHALUS USMANII ( Named After Professor Mohd Kamil Usmani) 

* CONOCEPHALUS NAGARIENSIS ( Budagam District) 

* CONOCEPHALUS GANDERBALI ( Named After Ganderbal District) 

* THE TEAM WAS LEAD BY MUZAMIL SYED SHAH FROM ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY, 

* A SMALL CRUSTACEAN HAS BEEN DISCOVERED IN KVARATTI LAGOON IN LAKSHADWEEP ISLANDS 

* A NEW GENUS AND NEW SPECIES 

* FAMILY - LAOPHONTIDAE ( CLASS - COPEPODA) 

* THE SPECIES CRUSTACEAN NAMED - INDIAPHONTE BIJOYI 

* SPECIES NAMED AFTER - A BIJOY NANDAN, Dean Of Faculty Marine Science, Cochin University of Science & Technology ( CUST) 

* A NEW SPECIES OF WORM LIKE CAECILIAN HAS DISCOVERD IN WESTERN GHATS 

* SPECIES NAME - GEGENEOPHIS VALMIKI 

( NAMED AFTER MAHARISHI VALMIKI MANDIR, IN SATARA DISTRICT, MAHARASHTRA) 

* 

* A NEW SPECIES OF GINGER HAS BEEN DISCOVERED IN SIANG VALLEY OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH 

* SPECIES NAME - PARAKAEMPFERIA ALBA 

* RESERCHERS FROM KERALA & TAMILNADU HAVE DISCOVERED TWO NEW SPECIES OF RARE ANT FLIES - FROM DELHI & TAMILNADU.

* TWO NEW SPECIES ARE 

- METADON GHORPADEI ( Picture 1) 

- METADON REEMERI ( Picture 2) 

- SUB FAMILY -  MICRODONTINAE ( Syrphidae) 

* Rare Ghost Orchid REDISCOVERED After 175 Years In Meghalaya.

* A NEW PLANT SPECIES HAS DISCOVERD IN EAST KAMENG DISTRICT IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH ( INDIAN HIMALAYA) 

* SPECIES NAME - STROBILANTHES RITESHII K 

* FAMILY BELONGS TO - ACANTHACEAE) 

* 

* A NEW SPECIES OF WILDFLOWER SPECIES (YELLOW COLOUR) DISCOVERED IN RATNAGIRI DISTRICT, MAHARASHTRA.

* PLANT NAME - LEPIDAGATHIS KONKANENSIS ( KONKON REGION) 

* A GROUP OF BOTANIST FROM PARULEKAR COLLEGE OF ARTS, COMMENCE, SCIENCE, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE SCIENCES, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, AND LOCAL COLLEGE OF MAHARSHTRA DISCOVERED 

* THIS SPECIES IS BRIGHT YELLOW COLOUR, TWO LIPPED BLOSSOM AND VERY SHORT, DENSE FLOWERING HEAD ( MEASURES ABOUT 2 CENTIMETRES)

 

* 

STATE FLOWER - 

* CHANDIGARH DECLARES THE STRIPED TIGER BUTTERFLY AS STATE FLOWER 

* DANAUS GENUTIA ( SPECIES NAME) 

ENVIRONMENT - 

* The Tamilnadu Forest Has Denied Permission To NTPC Tamilnadu Energy Corporation Limited To Conduct Test At The Proposed Upper Bhavani Pumped Storage HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT At Mukhurti National Park 

* Tamilnadu Has Registered A Historic Milestone With The Notification Of 100 New Reserve Forests, Nearly 13,500 Hectares 

*  Madhya Pradesh To Rename The Ratapani Tiger Reserve After Padmashri Archaeologist Dr. Vishnu Sridhar.

* Crocodile Census Held in Odisha ( Similpal) 

84 in 2026 ( 81 in 2025) 

AWARDS - 

* Dr Nobin Raja, A Researchers At ATREE Has Been Awarded With Hasmukh Shah Memorial Award For Ecological Studies 2025.

* * AMERICAN MYCOLOGIST TOBY KIERS WINS THE 2026 TYLER PRIZE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT.

* HER WORK ON MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI 

* 

* G Rajkumar, An Eminent ENVIRONMENTALIST Of Kerala Passed Away.

( KNOWN AS KURINJI RAJKUMAR) 

* WHO Led The Role In The Estsblishment Of Kurinjimala Sanctuary 2006) 

( to protect The Rare Neelakurinji Flower In Western Ghat) 

( Meitei Nganu Or Eshing Nganu - The Manipuri Duck Has Been Registered As a Distinct Indigenous Breed In Assam. (By ICAR) 

FIRST MAGH BIHU CENSUS - 

* First Magh Bihu Census Records 2026 

- 111 Bird Species In Chandubi Beel 

* UNION Environment And Climate MINISTER Has Announced The Notification Declaring The Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary As Eco Sensitive Zone 

* The Russian Federation Has Formally Joined As The International Big Cat Alliance 

* Hesarghatta Grassland, In Bengaluru Received The Conservation Reserve Tag.

* Tamilnadu Forest Department Will Conduct A State Wide Raptor Assessment To Map Distribution Of Birds Of Prey.

* Bacillus Subtilis Declared State Microbe Of Kerala.

* Two Days Asian Water Bird Census 2026 To Conduct At Pobitora 

* A 63.5 Lakh Tonne Reserves Of Rare Earth Elements Discovered In Karnataka.

BOOKS - 

*  SHRUBS AND CLIMBERS IN INDIA: A Field Guide Book Author - The Kodaikanal Based Environmentalist PIPA MUKHERJEE 

NEW RAMSAR SITES ADDED - 

* * MINISTRY OF FOREST, CLIMATE ENVIRONMENT HAS ANNOUNCED TO ADD TWO NEW RAMSAR SITES 

* PATNA BIRD SANCTURY IN ETAH, UTTAR PRADESH 

* CHHARI - DHAND IN KUTCH, GUJARAT 

* 

FEBRUARY - 

ENVIRONMENT - 

* Madhya Pradesh Forest Department Has Announced The Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary As Cheetahs Third Home.

* World Wetlands Day - 2nd February (THEME 2026 - WETLANDS AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE CELEBRATING CULTURAL HERITAGE ) 

* Smooth Coated otters Has Listed As Vulnerable By IUCN.

* The Asiatic Lion Population Has Increases To 891 in 2025 From 674 In 2020 

* Wildlife Institute Of India ( WII) In Collaboration With Forest Department, Tamilnadu Has FOUND 158 Dugongs in Palk Bay & 112 In Gulf Of Mannar 

* Asia Recorded The Largest Area Of Planted Forest In 146 Million Hectares (23% Of World) 

* Two Women Farmers Arika Narasamma And Lalam Jyothi Have Been Selected For A European Agro ECOLOGY Tour Under APCNF Programme.

* RAMSAR Listed Nala Sarovar Recorded 6 .42 Lakh Birds Of 270 Species.

* Mudu malai Elephant Rivaldo Died 

* A Total Of 41 Tigers Died In Maharshtra in 2025.

* Jammu and Kashmir Police Has Unveiled The High Altitude Squad Snow Leopard For Anti Terror Operation.

 * The Tamilnadu Government Has Launched The First Dark Sky Park At The Ariyur Shola Reserve Forests, In Koli Hills.

DOLPHIN CENSUS IN ODISHA - 

* * ODISHA DOLPHIN CENSUS CONDUCTED ( 765 DOLPHINS POPULATION) 

* 493 in BHITARKANIKA 

* 175 IN CHILIKA LAKE 

* 66 in PURI 

* 15 IN BALASORE 

* 13 BERHAMPUR 

* 3 BHADRAK 

AWARDS - 

* * India's Meha Jain Wins The Inaugural ASU ( Science Prize) For Transformational Impact For Uses Of Satellite Data And Artificial Intelligence To Help Farmers To COMBAT With CLIMATE 

* TAMILNADU CHIEF MINISTER M K Stallin Has Laid Foundation Stone of First Sea Turtle Conservation Centre At Guindy, Chennai.

NEW SPECIES - 

* RESEARCHERS HAVE DISCOVERED A NEW SPINY SPECIES OF ANT IN GARBHANGA RESERVE FOREST IN ASSAM 

* SPECIES NAME - POLYRHACHIS GARBHANGAENSIS 

* INDIA RECORDS 71 SPECIES OF GENUS POLYRHACHIS 

* 

* * RESERCHERS FROM ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA (ZSI) HAVE DISCOVERED TWO NEW SPECIES OF WORMS ( POLYCHAETES) FROM WEST BENGAL.

* TWO NEW SPECIES ARE 

a) Nereididae ( Annelida Nereididae ) 

b) Second SPECIES NAMED AFTER Dhitri Banarjee ( ZSI Director) 

* This Species Helps In Coastal Health 

** BOTANICAL SURVEY OF INDIA (BSI) RESEARCHER TEAM HAVE IDENTIFIED A NEW SPECIES OF FLOWERING PLANT IN PAKHAL WILDLIFE SANCTUARY IN MAHBUBABAD DISTRICT, IN TELENGANA.

* SPECIES NAME - DICLIPTERA PAKHALICA 

* FAMILY - ACANTHACEAE 

* * RESEARCHERS FROM ASSAM UNIVERSITY, SILCHAR HAVE RECORDED THE FIRST EVER TINY JUMPING SPIDER SPECIES IN ASSAM.

* SPECIES NAME - COLYTTUS BILINEATUS 

* * RESERCHERS HAVE DISCOVERED A NEW SPECIES OF DRAGONFLY SPECIES IN KERALA.

* SPECIES NAME - LYRIOTHEMIS KERALAENSIS 

* 

* * A NEW ORCHID SPECIES DISCOVERED IN WESTERN GHATS 

* SPECIES NAME - DIPLOCENTRUM PAPILLOSUM 

* 

* ICAR - NBFGR Discovered A New Species Of Squat Lobster From Lakshadweep.

* * A NEW BRIGHT ORANGE SQUAT LOBSTER SPECIES DISCOVERD IN LAKSHADWEEP.

* SPECIES NAME - LEIOGALATHEA SAMUDRAGIRI 

* 

*  ICAR - CICFR DISCOVERD A New Mahseer Species (TOR  SATTALENSIS) in Uttarkhand.

* * A NEW BRIGHT ORANGE SQUAT LOBSTER SPECIES DISCOVERD IN LAKSHADWEEP.

* SPECIES NAME - LEIOGALATHEA SAMUDRAGIRI 

* 

* * RESEARCHERS FROM KOZHIKODE ST JOSEPH'S COLLEGE HAVE DISCOVERED A NEW APIACEAE SPECIES IN ERAVILULAM GRASSLAND IN KERALA.

* SPECIES NAME - TETRATAENIUM PAIKADAE 

* IT IS A PERENNIAL HERB IN APIACEAE FAMILY ( GROWING 30-80 CM TALL THICK) 

* THE SPECIES NAMED AFTER IN HONOUR TO LATE REV FATHER JOSEPH PAIKA, ( PRINCIPAL & MANAGER OF JOSEPH'S COLLEGE) 

* THE PLANTS GROWS IN MARSHY GRASSLAND AT ELEVATION BETWEEN 1000-2500 meter ABOVE SEA LEVEL 

* OIL DUCTS FOUND IN ITS FRUITS 

* 

* * RESEARCHERS FROM BOTANICAL SURVEY OF INDIA (BSI) HAVE DISCOVERED A NEW SPECIES OF COBRA LILY IN SIAHA DISTRICT, MIZORAM.

* SPECIES NAME - ARISAEMA SIAHAENSE 

* 

* * RESEARCHERS HAVE DISCOVERED TWO NEW ARMY ANT SPECIES FOUND IN EASTERN GHATS. ( ANDHRA PRADESH) 

* AENICTUS CHITTOORENSIS Sp Nov.

* AENICTUS LANKAMALLENSIS Sp nov 

* 

* * RESEARCHERS FROM CUSAT & CSIR NIO Goa HAVE DISCOVERED A NEW SNAPPING SHRIMP SPECIES IN KERALA.

* NAMED - ALPHEUS MADHUSOODANAI in The Cochin Estuary 

* SPECIES NAMED AFTER - BIOLOGIST DR. B MADHUSOODANAI Kurup 

* Union Ministry Of Environment, Forest And Climate Change To Organise HIM - CONNECT On Sideline Of TERI's World Sustainable Development Summit 2026 

 ( The Him - Connect Platform Connects Researchers Working In The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) With Start Up, Investors, Policy Makers) 

( Him - Connect Will Exhibit Field - Validated, Market Ready Solution In Crucial Sectors Including Water Security, Climate Adaption, Waste To Wealth, Sustainable Building, Renewable Energy, And Nature Based Livelihood) 

* * A NEW SPECIES OF BLIND, AQUIFER DWELING FISH DISCOVERD IN GOALPARA DISTRICT, ASSAM 

* SPECIES NAME- GITCHAK NAKANA 

* 

* IT IS A FIRST AQUIFER FISH FROM NORTH EAST INDIA 

* 

*