All 6 Environment updates published in February 2026, grouped into 3 subtopics. Each one carries the exam-relevant facts and its GK Bytes; open an update for the complete note with static GK.
India's sixth All India Tiger Estimation cycle continued Phase I field surveys through February; initial estimates suggest the tiger population may rise 10-15% from the 3,682 recorded in 2022.
Patna Bird Sanctuary in Etah district, a small but ecologically significant wetland supporting 200+ bird species including migratory cranes and raptors, was designated a Ramsar site.
Chhari-Dhand, a ~22,700-hectare seasonal desert wetland in the Banni grasslands of Kutch, became a Ramsar site - a major congregation site for flamingos, pelicans, cranes and raptors.
Ahead of World Wetlands Day, India designated two new Ramsar sites - Patna Bird Sanctuary (UP) and Chhari-Dhand (Gujarat) - taking the national total to 98, the most in Asia and third globally.
Released at Nimli, near Alwar (Rajasthan) by the Centre for Science and Environment and Down To Earth, the report warned that multiple planetary boundaries are being breached and highlighted intensifying human-tiger conflict.
Observed on 2 February with the theme 'Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage', marking the 1971 signing of the Ramsar Convention.