Indian Ocean basin-wide (IOBW) index exhibits a close association with dengue outbreaks in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

Indian Ocean basin-wide (IOBW) Index:

• It represents the average sea-surface temperature variations across the tropical Indian Ocean.
• It has emerged as a key indicator for predicting the magnitude and timing of dengue epidemics in each country.
• IOBW index’s association with the Southern Hemisphere is stronger than that with the Northern Hemisphere.
• The index has a more pronounced impact on temperatures in tropical regions. Brazil, for example, bears a higher burden of dengue in the Southern Hemisphere.
• The Northern Hemisphere witnesses a peak dengue epidemic period between July and October and the Southern Hemisphere in February and April, both in the summers.
• Further, the amplitude of dengue incidence was high when the index was positive and low when it was negative.
• The link between the Indian Ocean’s temperature and dengue incidence is likely due to its influence on regional temperatures through teleconnections, large-scale atmospheric patterns that can transfer heat and moisture across vast distances.

Dengue:

• It is caused by the dengue virus (DENV)
• Transmission: It is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
• The severe form of dengue fever, also called dengue hemorrhagic fever, can cause serious bleeding, a sudden drop in blood pressure (shock) and death.
• It is more common in tropical and subtropical climates.
• Symptoms: The most common symptoms are high fever, headache, body aches, nausea and rash.

A leopard cat has been spotted in Maharashtra’s Pench Tiger Reserve for the first time.

Leopard Cat:

• It is a species of forest-dwelling cat, of the family Felidae.
• Scientific Name: Prionailurus bengalensis
• It is noted for its leopard-like colouring.

Distribution:

• They are the most widely distributed Asian small cats.
• Their range extends from the Amur region in the Russian Far East over the Korean Peninsula, China, Indochina, the Indian Subcontinent, to the West in northern Pakistan, and to the south in the Philippines and the Sunda Islands of Indonesia.

Habitat:

• They are found in agriculturally used areas but prefer forested habitats.
• They live in tropical evergreen rainforests and plantations at sea level, in subtropical deciduous and coniferous forests in the foothills of the Himalayas at altitudes above 1000 m.

Features:

• They vary widely in size and appearance across their range. The colouration ranges from pale tawny, to yellow, red, or grey above, with the underparts white, and spotted.
• There are usually four black stripes running down the forehead to the nape, breaking up into short bands and elongate spots on the shoulders.
• The length of the animal ranges from 45 to 75 cm (18 to 30 inches), excluding the 23–35-cm (9–13.8-inch) tail.
• They are solitary, nocturnal carnivores.

Conservation Status : IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Pench Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It is located in the southern reaches of the Satpura hills in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts in Madhya Pradesh and continues in Nagpur district in Maharashtra as a separate Sanctuary.

• It is named after the Pench River, which flows from north to south through the Reserve.
• It comprises the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, the Pench Mowgli Sanctuary, and a buffer.
• The area of the Pench Tiger Reserve and the surrounding area is the real story area of Rudyard Kipling''s famous "The Jungle Book".
• Vegetation: The undulating topography supports a mosaic of vegetation ranging from a moist, sheltered valley to an open, dry deciduous forest.
• Flora: The reserve boasts a diverse range of flora, including teak, saag, mahua, and various grasses and shrubs.
• Fauna:The area is especially famous for large herds of Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Gaur (Indian Bison), and wild boar.
• The key predator is the tiger, followed by the leopard, wild dogs, and wolf.
• There are over 325 species of resident and migratory birds, including the Malabar Pied Hornbill, Indian Pitta, Osprey, Grey Headed Fishing Eagle, White Eyed Buzzard, etc.

New Space India Limited (NSIL) has called on private players to manufacture its largest launch vehicle LVM3 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III).

LVM3:

• LVM3 is also known as Fat Boy and is designed for launching spacecraft weighing up to 4000 kg into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
• It is a three-stage launch vehicle.
• The first stage includes two S200 solid propellant strap-ons, which are among the largest solid boosters in the world, containing 204 tonnes of solid propellant.
• The second stage, or the core stage, is the L110 liquid stage, utilizing a twin liquid engine configuration with 115 tonnes of liquid propellant.
• The third stage is the C25 cryogenic stage, equipped with a fully indigenous high thrust cryogenic engine (CE20), loaded with 28 tons of propellant.
• Important components include the equipment bay (EB) and the Encapsulated Assembly (EA), which comprises the spacecraft, Payload Adapter (PLA), and Payload Fairing (PF).
• LVM3 has been utilized in missions like Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 and is slated for use in the upcoming Gaganyaan Mission.