1. The Himalayas have been a source of awe and inspiration for
millennia to countless individuals. They are the largest, tallest
and geologically youngest mountains on our planet. The himalaya are
also one of the most fragile mountain regions of the world and hold
an enormous repository of biological diversity which is
increasingly under pressure from human activities. The unique
ecological aspects of the western himalayas led to the creation of
the great himalayan national park (GHNP) in the kullu district of
India's mountain state of Himachal pradesh. These features include
biodiversity, sparse human populations, inaccessibility, little
tourism, and a local economy based on traditional livelihoods.
2. It is located in kullu district of himachal pradesh .
Initially constituted in 1984 , GNHP was formally declared a
national park in 1999 covering an area of 1171 km .
3. In june 2014, GHNP was added to the UNESCO list of the
heritage sites. The UNESCO world heritage site committee granted
the states to the park under the criteria exceptional natural
beauty &conservation of biological diversity
4. Extent In 1984, the Himachal Wildlife Project (HWP) surveyed
the upper Beas region to help establish the boundaries of the park.
An area comprising the watersheds of Jiwa , Sainj, and Tirthan
rivers became the Great Himalayan National Park in 1984. Starting
from an altitude of 1,700 metres above mean sea level, the highest
peak within the Park approaches almost 5,800 metres. The national
park is protected on the nothern ,eastern,&southern boundaries
by permanent snow . To facilitate conservation a 5 km wide buffer
area, extending from the western periphery of the Park, has been
classified as the Ecodevelopment Project Area (EPA) or
Ecozone.
5. The EPA has an area of 326.6 km (including 61 km of Tirthan
wildlife sanctuary) with about 120 small villages, comprising 1600
households with a population of about 16,000. Since, the Indian
Wildlife Protection Act 1972 does not permit any habitation in the
National Park, an area of 90 km in Sainj valley encompassing the
two villages of Shakti and Marore has been classified as Sainj
Wildlife Sanctuary
6. flora The Great Himalayan National Park supports a great
diversity of plant life. From the lofty pines and spruces and the
great, spreading horse chestnuts of the lower valleys, to the dense
cushions and prostrate branches of the alpine herbs and junipers,
the Park presents an endless variety of vegetation. Although some
areas have been modified by grazing, this is one of the few areas
of the Western Himalayas where the forests and alpine meadows can
be seen in something approaching their original state.
7. Horse chestnut junipers Horse chestnut leave.
8. Within the Great Himalayan National Park, birds such as
Long-tailed Minivets, Yellow-bellied Fantails, Wallcreepers,
White-collared and Grey-winged blackbirds become common at the
lowest altitudes in winters. Heavy snow may bring down more exotic
species, such as variegated laughing thrush, Scaly-breasted Wren
Babbler, Spectacled Finch and Golden Bush Robin, all of which may
occur from October to February in the lower parts of the main
valleys of the Park. In addition, there are a few species of longer
distance migrants that winter preferentially in the Park:
Blue-capped Redstart, Black-throated Thrush and Black-throated
Accentor
9. Spectacled finch Golden bush robin Wall creeper bird Minivet
bird