UPSC Daily Current Affairs| Prelim Bits 03-02-2025

World Wetlands Day

Why in News?

India announced new Ramsar Sites on the World Wetlands Day recently.

World Wetlands Day, 2025

• February 2 is annually marked as World Wetlands Day.
• Aim - To spread awareness about conserving one of the most critical ecosystems on the planet.
• Theme, 2025 - “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future”.
• Wetlands - Wetlands are regions covered by water either perennially or seasonally, such as marshes and lakes.
• They are vital reservoirs of biodiversity, aid water conservation and provide habitat for numerous migratory birds, aquatic species, and plant life.
• They also help recharge groundwater, control floods and support fisheries and local communities.
• From the point of view of climate change mitigation, wetlands are important carbon sinks, absorb more carbon from the atmosphere than they release.

Ramsar Convention

• Ramsar Convention is an international treaty that aims to conserve wetlands and their resources.
• It was the first modern treaty between nations to conserve natural resources
• It was signed in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar and came into force in 1975.

• These sites receive international support for conservation and management.
• Pillars - Provides a framework for national action and international cooperation
• Protects sites of global importance
• Ensures the sustainable use and conservation of wetlands
• Main bodies of the Ramsar Convention - The Conference of the Parties (COP) and Standing Committee.
• There are currently over 2,400 Ramsar Sites around the world.
• Ramsar sites in India - India has 89 Ramsar sites. Tamil Nadu has the most Ramsar sites at 20.
• India recently announced 4 new Ramsar sites under the global agreement Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

Reference

The Indian Express | World Wetlands Day

Onchocerciasis

Why in News?

WHO verifies Niger as the 1^st country in the African Region to eliminate Onchocerciasis.

• Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a parasitic disease that affects the skin and eyes.
• Caused by - Microscopic worm Onchocerca volvulus.
• Symptoms

• Transmission - Transmitted to humans by the bites of infected black flies (Genus - Simulium) that breed in fast-flowing rivers.
• Vulnerable - More common in people who work in agriculture, especially those who live near rivers.
• Early exposure to O. volvulus infection is associated with epilepsy in children.
• Prone countries - Primarily affects rural populations in sub-Saharan Africa, and Yemen, with smaller endemic areas foci found in parts of Latin America.
• Prevention - Onchocerciasis was brought under control in West Africa through the work of the Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP).
• This was later supplemented by large-scale distribution of ivermectin since 1989.
• The African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) was launched in 1995 with the objective of controlling onchocerciasis in the remaining endemic countries in Africa.
• It is closed at the end of 2015 after beginning the transition to onchocerciasis elimination.
• Treatment - Population-based treatment with Ivermectin is the current core strategy to eliminate onchocerciasis, with a minimum requirement of 80% therapeutic coverage.
• Ivermectin is donated by Merck under the brand name of Mectizan.
• Global status - More than 99% of infected people live in Africa and Yemen, the remaining 1% live on the border between Brazil and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).
• In 2023 at least 249.5 million people required preventive treatment against onchocerciasis.
• Onchocerciasis free countries - Five countries have been verified by WHO as free of onchocerciasis after successfully implementing elimination activities for decades.
  • 4 in the region of the Americas - Colombia (2013), Ecuador (2014), Mexico (2015) and Guatemala (2016), and
  • 1 in Africa - Niger (2025).

Reference

WHO | Onchocersiasis

Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM)

Why in News?

Caribbean and North Brazil shelves (Large Marine Ecosystem) are recently brought under the initiative, Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM).

• It is a collaborative framework to ensure a more inclusive and sustainable approach to ocean conservation in the wider carribean region.
• Announced by - The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• It was conceived under the 10-year CLME+ Strategic Action Program (CLME+ SAP), endorsed by countries in the Wider Caribbean in 2014.
• Implemented by - IOC Sub commission for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (IOCARIBE), UNESCO’s agency.
• Covered areas - Caribbean Sea and North Brazil shelves.
• Purpose - Foster collaboration among countries, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), and key stakeholders.
• Promotes blue carbon projects, which use coastal ecosystems for carbon storage, benefiting both the environment and local communities.
• Coordinate and streamline actions such as sustainable fisheries, ecosystem restoration, pollution control, blue carbon development, marine spatial planning, and establishing marine protected areas.
• Funding - It has secured an initial $15 million investment from the Global Environment Facility through the UNDP/GEF PROCARIBE+ Project for the period 2024–2028.
• The initiative has also benefited from a substantial co-financing total of $126.02 million facilitated by the GEF.

Reference

Down to Earth | Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM)

Black Kite

Why in News?

Recently, an article suggested that black kites have nesting habitats at a tower structure in Chennai.

• Black Kite – It is a bird of prey, and a migratory bird extends to an extremely large range of habitats.
• Scientific Name – Milvus migrans.
• It is often called Fork-Tailed Kites.
• Habitat – Close access to water bodies such as rivers, ponds, lakes, and wetlands, woodlands, grassland, and open savannas.
• Distribution – Tropical portions of Australasia, Eurasia, and Africa.
• Morphology – Medium-sized raptors, dorsal, ventral and tail color is brown  with darker brown striped feathers within.
• It has small, bead-like dark brown eyes and a large black, hook-shaped beak, long black talons, and pale-yellow legs.

• Sexual dimorphism
  • Female – It has a slightly larger body size than males, though they feature similar coloration.
• Characteristics – It typically lives in social groups.
• It migrates from Europe and northern Asia, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia.
• It has well-developed intraspecific communication and very loud vocalizing.
• Diet – An extremely versatile feeder, it takes carrion, birds, mammals, fish, lizards, amphibians, invertebrates, and forage on vegetable matter such as palm oil fruits.
• Threats – Poisoning
  • Shooting
  • Electrocution by power lines
  • Pollution of water by pesticides and other chemicals
  • Vulnerable to the effects of wind energy development.
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN – Least Concern.
  • CITES – Appendix II.
  • Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 – Schedule-II.

References

1. The Hindu| Nesting activity by Black kites
2. ABW| Black kite’s Habitat & Distribution
3. Birdlife| Black kite’s Diet, Threats & Conservation