Environment › Species in news

Reptiles, amphibians and aquatic species

Reptiles, amphibians, fish and the mammals of rivers and seas as species: crocodiles, turtles, snakes, frogs, dolphins, sharks and the fish of India's rivers and coasts. Prelims has asked which is India's national aquatic animal.

UPSC has asked

Prelims 2015: India's national aquatic animal

All 2 subjects shown; the 1 that changed from 16 to 31 July 2026 are marked.Show only these

Himalayan salamander

Prelims and Mains

The Himalayan salamander (Tylototriton himalayanus) is one of only three salamander species found in India, and occurs in eastern Nepal, Darjeeling and western Bhutan. Molecular work in 2015 separated it from Tylototriton verrucosus. More than 80 per cent of its habitat lies outside protected areas, in tea gardens, village commons and community forest.

What changed

13 Jul 2026New subject
- Conservation work on the species in Darjeeling, built on wetland restoration and removal of invasive species, won a 2026 Whitley Award.
Frontline, 13 Jul 2026: Two Indian conservationists won the 2026 Whitley Award, one for the Indian skimmer in the Chambal and one for the Himalayan salamander in Darjeeling. (opens in a new tab)

Shark finning

Prelims and Mains

Finning is cutting the fins off a shark at sea and discarding the body, a practice regional fisheries bodies limit by capping the weight of fins a vessel may carry against the weight of shark on board.

What changed

20 Jul 2026New subjectalso in news
- Illegal shark fins are repeatedly being landed at Dakar by longline tuna vessels. Finning means cutting off the fins at sea and discarding the body. The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas caps fins at 5 per cent of the shark weight on board. Shark and ray populations have fallen 71 per cent since 1970.
The Hindu, 20 Jul 2026: Finning: cruel, wasteful practice (opens in a new tab)