10 Oct 2026 - "Daily Current Affairs" Updates

Green Keelback

Why in News: A Green Keelback was recently spotted near Gangawadi village on the outskirts of Biligiri Rangana Betta (BR Hills), Yelandur taluk, Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka.

What is it?

• Scientific name: Macropisthodon plumbicolor.

• It is a non-venomous, semi-aquatic snake native to South and Southeast Asia.

• Its distribution includes India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and parts of Indonesia.

Habitat

• It prefers wetlands such as ponds, rivers, streams, rice fields and marshes.

• Dense vegetation is important because it provides shelter and hunting opportunities both on land and in water.

How to Identify It

• Medium-sized snake: usually 60 cm to 1 metre, though some individuals may reach about 1.2 metres.

• Body colour ranges from light to dark green, with a lighter yellowish or whitish underside.

• Some individuals may show faint dark markings on the back and sides.

• Its scales have raised ridges called keels, giving the body a rough texture and helping movement, climbing and swimming.

• It has a moderately triangular head, large round eyes on the sides and a slender tail that helps directional control in water.

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern (LC).

Memory Lock

• Green Keelback = non-venomous + semi-aquatic.

• Scientific name = Macropisthodon plumbicolor.

• Habitat = wetlands with dense vegetation.

• IUCN = Least Concern.

2. Slaty Egret

Why in News: UNEP-linked officials highlighted behavioural changes in the Slaty Egret as an example of shifts taking place in natural ecosystems.

About the Bird

• Scientific name: Egretta vinaceigula.

• It is a small, shy waterbird strongly associated with the Okavango Delta in Botswana.

• It has a slender body, long legs, an elongated neck and slaty-grey plumage with a subtle purple tinge.

Habitat and Distribution

• It inhabits seasonal wetlands and floodplains.

• It occurs in south-central Africa, with its largest populations in Zambia and Botswana.

Behaviour

• Its distinctive feeding technique is foot-ruffling: it stirs water with its feet to flush out fish.

• It usually breeds in dense vegetated colonies on islands or marshlands, where nests receive greater protection from predators.

• Its diet includes fish, amphibians and aquatic invertebrates.

Threats and Conservation

• Its strong dependence on wetlands makes it vulnerable to habitat changes.

• Agricultural expansion and changes in water management can degrade or reduce its wetland habitat.

• IUCN Red List: Vulnerable (VU).

Memory Lock

• Slaty Egret = wetland bird of south-central Africa.

• Stronghold = Okavango Delta / Zambia-Botswana region.

• Feeding trick = foot-ruffling.

• IUCN = Vulnerable.

3. Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS)

Why in News: Nameri Tiger Reserve in Assam received CA|TS Approved status, recognising its tiger-reserve management and protection efforts.

What is CA|TS?

• CA|TS is a global framework for assessing management effectiveness and protection in tiger conservation areas.

• It was introduced at the first Asian Parks Congress in Japan in 2013.

• Its objective is to ensure that tiger conservation areas are effectively managed and provide safe, sustainable habitats.

What Does It Assess?

• The framework sets benchmarks for wildlife protection, habitat management, community participation and wildlife monitoring.

• It helps identify both strengths and gaps in reserve management.

Assessment Structure

• CA|TS uses seven pillars covering 17 elements.

• The seven pillars are: Importance and Status, Management, Community, Tourism, Protection, Habitat Management and Tiger Populations.

• Tourism is an optional pillar.

• The first five pillars constitute Conservation Assured (CA); the final two focus specifically on Tiger Standards (TS).

Implementation in India

• Global Tiger Forum and WWF-India work with the National Tiger Conservation Authority to implement CA|TS assessments in India.