SNIPPETS MARCH 2026

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary: Wayanad district, southern part of the Western Ghats in Kerala+ It is an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve+ Established in – 1973+ Under – The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972+ Kabini River, a tributary of the Cauvery River, flows through the sanctuary+The sanctuary is currently battling a massive invasion of Senna spectabilis (a golden-flowered tree)+Several indigenous tribal families live in settlements inside the Sanctuary, such as Kattunaikar and Paniyar.

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV): Viral infection (Human Herpesvirus-4)+ Spreads mainly through saliva and body fluids+ Common Symptoms: Fever, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes+ Complications: Rarely associated with cancers such as Burkitt lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma+ Treatment: No specific vaccine or cure.

New Shalimar Wheat: Scientists at SKUAST-Kashmir developed new wheat varieties to stabilise the rice–wheat cropping cycle in Kashmir+ Shalimar Wheat-4 (SW-4), Shalimar Wheat-3 (SW-3)+ SW-4 – Matures by the last week of May, SW-3 – Matures by the first week of June+ Agronomic traits and cold tolerance similar to earlier wheat varieties+ Resistant to yellow rust, a fungal disease-causing stunting and yield loss in Kashmir+ SW-3 has potential productivity of up to 38 quintals per hectare.