SNIPPETS 19 FEBRUARY 2026

Malabar Pied Hornbill: Endemic to the Indian subcontinent – Western Ghats moist forests, North-eastern Himalayan foothills (India & Nepal), Satpuda Hills and Sri Lanka+ Black body with white underparts; Keystone seed disperser in tropical forests+ Diet: Primarily frugivorous+ IUCN Status: Near Threatened+ Chhattisgarh Forest Department is establishing hornbill restaurants in Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (in Gariband District) to protect rare Malabar Pied Hornbill

Exercise MILAN: A biennial multilateral naval exercise hosted by the Indian Navy+ It promotes cooperation, interoperability and maritime partnership among friendly navies across the world+ Launched in 1995 with four navies at Port Blair, it has evolved into a premier Multilateral Exercise with partner navies across the globe+ Exercise Milan is taking place in Visakhapatnam with more than 70 nations participating in the 2026 edition

Lepidocampa sikkimensis: Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) recently discovered Lepidocampa sikkimensis, a new soil-dwelling micro-arthropod species in the Eastern Himalayas+ a wingless micro-arthropod belonging to the primitive hexapod (six-legged) order Diplura+ It has a slender, translucent body that is distinctively covered in scales, and is characterised by two elongated, tail-like appendages called cerci+ The species plays a critical role in nutrient cycling and serves as a biological indicator of soil health and ecosystem stability.