UPSC Prelims 2026 Revision Checklist: शीर्ष समाचार‑प्रमुख प्रजातियाँ जिनसे aspirants को नहीं चूकना चाहिए

<p>UPSC CSE Prelims 2026: With the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 scheduled for May 24 and only a few weeks remaining, aspirants have now entered the crucial phase of smart revision and selective consolidation. We are sure you already understand the importance of species — both flora and fauna — in the UPSC Prelims examination. At this stage, the focus should not just be on reading new material but also on ensuring that all important biodiversity-related topics from current affairs are properly covered in your revision notes. This becomes even more important because, in recent years, UPSC has increasingly linked biodiversity with current affairs while framing environment questions. For Prelims 2026, aspirants should therefore pay special attention to species that remained in the news due to conservation concerns, ecological significance, invasive behaviour, rediscovery, habitat protection, climate change, or scientific research.</p><p>Gear up for UPSC Prelims 2026—Practice smarter, revise faster, and succeed with our Special Quiz Magazine. (Click Here)</p><p>Other Revision Checklists: Top 30 Environment topics | Top 20 Reports and Indices | Top 25 places in News | Top 30 Geography topics</p><p>#1. Cocaine hippos</p><p>— The ‘cocaine hippos’ are thriving in the fertile region between Medellín and Bogotá, and are now spreading in the Magdalena River, one of Colombia’s main waterways.</p><p>— A reason for their growing numbers is that unlike in Africa, the hippos have no natural predators in Colombia. Being non-native in Colombia, the hippos are considered an invasive species, and their growing population is believed to be a ticking time bomb that will seriously harm indigenous flora and fauna.</p><p>— They are considered to be a threat to local species such as the West Indian manatee, Neotropical otter, spectacled caiman, turtles as well as endangered ones such as Dahl’s toad-headed turtle and the Magdalena River turtle. Growth in the number of feral hippos is also expected to cause deadly encounters with humans.</p><p>Story continues below this ad</p><p>#2. Peacock Tarantula</p><p>— Found predominantly in the deciduous forests of central and southern India, this spider species has a distinct blue hue, one that darkens with age and maturity. The Peacock Tarantula (Poecilotheria metallica) plays a vital role, similar to most species of tarantula, in its ecosystem as a predator that helps maintain the balance of insect populations.</p><p>(Source: X/@APDeputyCMO) (Source: X/@APDeputyCMO)</p><p>— It is endemic to the Eastern Ghats of India. The species is currently critically endangered, fighting against “habitat loss, degradation and rampant, illegal pet trade for exotic species”.</p><p>#3. Bat species in India</p><p>— The bat species in India, around 135, are facing neglect due to lack of research and are also under threat from urbanisation, deforestation, land-use changes and climate impacts, the first-ever national assessment (Sta