Context: The year that went by was the eighth hottest on record since 1901, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its State of the Climate Report.

• The annual mean land surface air temperature averaged over India during 2020 was nearly 3 degree Celsius above normal but was substantially lower than the highest warming observed over India during 2016 (+0.710C).
• The monsoon and post-monsoon seasons contributed to most of the temperature rise this year with mean temperature in winter also above normal.
• However, the pre-monsoon season temperature was below normal (-0.030C). India's 0.3 degree rise was less than the average global temperature rise of 1.2 degree.
• 2020’s monsoon rainfall was 9% above its seasonal normal.
• Five cyclones formed over the North Indian Ocean in 2020 including the Super cyclonic Storm AMPHAN, Very Severe Cyclonic Storms NIVAR & GATI, Severe Cyclonic Storm NISARGA, and Cyclonic Storm ‘BUREVI’. Of these, NISARGA & GATI formed over Arabian Sea, while the remaining 3 cyclones formed over the Bay of Bengal.
• Bihar & Uttar Pradesh were the most adversely affected States by natural disasters during the year which claimed more than 350 deaths from each State mainly due to thunderstorm, lightning and cold waves.
• Heavy rainfall and flood related incidents reportedly claimed over 600 lives from different parts of the country during pre-monsoon, monsoon and the post-monsoon seasons.
• Of these, 129 deaths were in Assam, 72 from Kerala , 61 from Telangana, 54 lives from Bihar, 50 from Maharashtra, 48 Uttar Pradesh, & 38 from Himachal Pradesh.
• Thunderstorms and lightning reportedly claimed 815 lives from different parts of the country. Among these, 280 from Bihar, 220 from Uttar Pradesh, 122 from Jharkhand, 72 from Madhya Pradesh, 23 from Maharashtra and 20 from Andhra Pradesh were “significant”.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/2020-was-eighth-hottest-year-since-1901/article33496167.ece?homepage=true

Mudumalai Tiger Reserve

Context: To increase the availability of food for vultures in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), the Forest Department is allowing dead cattle from a goshala (cow shelter) located nearby to be left for the scavengers.

• The decision was taken after conducting a thorough study, along with field inspections.
• Medical records and veterinarians from the Animal Husbandry Department confirmed that the goshala was not using Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) that are harmful to wildlife, including vultures.
• Mudumalai is home to three critically endangered, and one endangered, species of vultures.

Need for this

• The breeding success of a vulture pair depends on food availability in the region.
• The breeding success of vultures can vary due to a number of factors, with the most important being food availability.
• A pair of mating vultures may even abandon their nest due to a lack of food.
• Each vulture hatchling may stay within the nest for up to a year, and will be dependent on its parents’ frequent feeding.
• It is for this reason that this initiative may prove to be extremely important in helping to ensure that vultures in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve thrive
• Only those cattle that die of old age and natural causes will be left to scavengers.

Mudumalai National Park

• The Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary also a declared tiger reserve, lies on the northwestern side of the Nilgiri Hills (Blue Mountains), in Nilgiri District, about 150 kilometres (93 mi) north-west of Coimbatore city in Tamil Nadu, India.
• It shares its boundaries with the states of Karnataka and Kerala.
• The protected area is home to several endangered and vulnerable species including Indian elephant, Bengal tiger, gaur and Indian leopard.
• There are at least 266 species of birds in the sanctuary, including critically endangered Indian white-rumped vulture and long-billed vulture.
• The Western Ghats Nilgiri Sub-Cluster of 6,000 square kilometres (2,300 sq mi), including all of Mudumalai National Park, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/carcasses-from-goshala-for-mudumalais-scavengers/article33494864.ece?homepage=true

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