Baleen whales
Scientists discover anatomy behind songs of Baleen Whales.
- Baleen Whales – Whalespecies having epidermal modifications of the mouth called baleen, which is used to filter food from water.
- Unique Feature – They use a larynx, or voice box, anatomically modified to enable underwater vocalization.
- Listed under – CITES Appendix I, prohibiting commercial international trade.
- Presence in India – 3 of the species occur in India (Blue, Bryde and Humpback whale)
Venture Debt
According to report, India’s venture debt (VD) market raised $ 1.2 billion in 2023, a 50 % surge from 2022.
- Venture Debt – It is a type of financing often used by early stage startups that do not yet have a proven track record of generating revenue.
- Speciality – Unlike traditional debt financing, venture debt is usually provided by specialized lenders willing to take on more risk for potentially higher returns.
Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana (RUVP)
The scheme of RUVP launched recently.
- RUVP – Tailored specifically for beneficiaries of PM SVANidhi (Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi) scheme.
- Objective –To offer individuals with comprehensive entrepreneurship training with a focus on 40% women participation.
- Ministry – Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
- Comes under – Skill India Mission
Pigeon Pea
Hyderabad-based International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics announces World’s first Pigeon Pea speed breeding protocol.
- Pigeon Pea – Crop of tropical areas mainly cultivated in semi-arid regions of India
- Significance – High nutritional value (iron, calcium, phosphorous etc.)
- Production in India – Largest producer in 2021.
Purple Frog
The Tamil Nadu Endangered Species Conservation Fund is expected to boost efforts to conserve Purple Frog
- Also known as – Maveli frog or Pignose Frog
- Distribution – Western Ghats
- Features –
- Its body appears robust and bloated and is relatively rounded compared to other flattened frogs.
- It lives almost its entire life in underground tunnels, comes out to the surface for a single day in a year to breed.
- Significance – Called a ‘living fossil’ as its evolutionary roots suggest it could have shared space with dinosaurs going back almost 70 million years ago
- Conservation Status – Endangered on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
To read about TN Endangered Species Conservation Fund