2.Red Colobus

Why in the news?

• Evidence from several sites shows that red colobus are among the first large mammals to disappear from a hunted forest.
• Red colobus are Africa’s most endangered monkeys, thus protecting them will also safeguard forests.

About Red Colobus:

• These are a rare group of imperiled monkeys spread across Africa.
• These are primary indicators of biodiversity.
• These are primarily leaf-eaters, as compared to the cercopithecines, which are omnivores and thus include animals in their diet as well.
• Colobines also include the langurs of south and southeast Asia besides Africa’s colobus (olive and black-and-white besides red) monkeys.
• Red Colobus monkeys are found in forests ranging from Senegal to the Zanzibar Archipelago.
• More than half of the 18 distinct forms of red colobus monkeys are classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
• Threats:
  • Hunting for trade and local subsistence
  • Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation due to logging, mining, charcoal production, infrastructure development and conversion of forest to farms and agriculture plantations.

Initiative to conserve Red Colobus:

• Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan:
  • It was initiated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group and the African Primatological Society.
  • It aims to make red colobus a priority conservation target, which will help to secure Africa's tropical forests and reduce unsustainable hunting for wild meat.
• Red Colobus Working Group (RCWG):
  • It has been formed to guide implementation of the action plan and a Red Colobus Conservation Network (RCCN) has been created to promote communication, capacity-building and monitoring of red colobus conservation efforts.

3.Teesta River

Why in the news?

• A landslide damaged six houses and a building of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) at the site of its hydropower station on Teesta River in Sikkim’s Gangtok district.
• The power station, damaged by the glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in October 2023, has been under construction.

About Teesta River:

• It is a tributary of the Jamuna River (Brahmaputra River).
• It flows through India and Bangladesh.
• It originates as Chhombo Chhu from a glacial lake Khangchung Chho at an elevation of 5,280 m in the northeastern corner of the state.
• Its total length is 309 km. It drains an area of 12540 sq. km.
• Course:
  • It flows to the south, cutting a deep gorge through the Shivalik Hills east of Darjeeling (West Bengal) and turns southeast to run through the Sivok Khola pass onto the plains of West Bengal.
  • Earlier, it continued southwards to empty directly into the upper Padma River (Ganga River).
  • Later, it changed its course to flow eastward, crossing the Rangpur region of Bangladesh to join the Jamuna River near Chilmari after a total course of about 320 km.
• Tributaries:
  • Its left-bank tributaries include Lachung Chhu, Chakung Chhu, Dik Chhu, Rani Khola, Rangpo Chhu.
  • Its right-bank tributaries include Zemu Chhu, Rangyong Chhu, Rangit River.

4.Brown Bear

Why in the news?

• Sweden has planned to kill 486 brown bears as part of its controversial licensed trophy hunting season.
• Conservationists fear the move will eliminate 20 percent of Sweden’s brown bear population which is listed as a “strictly protected species” under European Union law, putting a dent on its 100 years of brown bear conservation.

About Brown Bear:

• It is a large bear native to Eurasia and North America. 
• It is one of the largest land carnivorans, rivaled in size only by its closest relative, the polar bear, which is much less variable in size and slightly bigger on average. 
• It is a sexually dimorphic species, as adult males are larger and more compactly built than females.
• Throughout its range, it inhabits mainly forested habitats in elevations of up to 5,000 m. 
• It is omnivorous, and consumes a variety of plant and animal species. 
  • Contrary to popular belief, the brown bear derives 90% of its diet from plants. 
  • When hunting, it will target animals as small as rodents, to those as large as moose or muskoxen. 
  • In parts of coastal Alaska, brown bears predominately feed on spawning salmon that come near shore to lay their eggs. 
• For most of the year, it is a solitary animal. It only associates when mating and raising cubs. 
• Females give birth to an average of one to three cubs that remain with their mother for 1.5 to 4.5 years. 
• It is a long lived animal, with an average lifespan of 25 years in the wild. 
• Relative to its body size, the brown bear has an exceptionally large brain for a land carnivore. This large brain allows for high cognitive abilities, such as tool use.
• It rarely attacks humans.
• Its range has shrunk and it has faced local extinctions across its range. Even so, it is listed as a least concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

5.Parvovirus B19 disease

Why in the news?

• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health advisory concerning a significant rise in cases of parvovirus B19, commonly known as the Fifth Disease or "slapped cheek" illness due to the characteristic reddening of the cheeks it causes. 
• This illness can be especially hazardous for pregnant women.

About Parvovirus B19 disease:

• It is a highly contagious and common illness, particularly in those with weakened immune systems. 
• It is commonly known as the "slapped cheek" illness due to the characteristic reddening of the cheeks it causes. 
• It is also known as the ‘fifth disease’ because, historically, it was fifth in a list of common childhood illnesses characterized by a rash.
• Transmission:
  • The virus can be spread through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
  • It may also spread through blood or contaminated blood products.
  • It can be transmitted to the fetus through the placenta in infected pregnant women.
• Complications:
  • In most children, parvovirus infection is mild and needs little treatment.
  • But in some adults, the infection can be serious. Parvovirus infection in some pregnant women can lead to serious health problems for the fetus.
  • The infection is also more serious for people with some kinds of anemia or who have a compromised immune system.
• Symptoms:
  • Most people with parvovirus infection have no signs or symptoms.
  • When symptoms do appear, they vary greatly depending on how old you are when you get the disease.
  • Common symptoms include "slapped cheek" rash in children, and joint pains in adults.
• Parvovirus B19 infections are usually mild and will go away on their own. Its treatment usually involves relieving symptoms, such as fever, itching, and joint pain and swelling.