Context:
Gangotri national park (GNP) authorities would soon be transferring around 50 hectares of land to the Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to develop new bunkers and border outposts near the LAC.
Relevance:
GS III: Environment and Ecology
About Gangotri National Park:
Location:
- Gangotri National Park is situated in the Uttarkashi District of Uttarakhand, India.
- It occupies the upper catchment area of the Bhagirathi River.
- The northeastern boundary of the park forms the international border between India and Tibet (China).
- It shares borders with Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and Govind National Park.
- The park covers an area of 2,390 sq km (920 sq mi) in the mountainous region of the country.
- The park is located within the Gangotri Group of the Garhwal Himalayas, which is a subrange of the eastern Himalayas.
- Prominent peaks in the park include Chaukhamba I, Satopanth, Chaukhamba II, Chaukhamba III, and Kedarnath Main.
- The renowned Gangotri Glacier, one of the main sources of the Ganges River, is located within the park.
Ecology:
- Gangotri National Park encompasses various high-altitude ecosystems typical of the Himalayas.
- The lower elevations are dominated by Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests, characterized by fir trees mixed with deodar, oak, spruce, and rhododendron.
- Higher elevations feature Western Himalayan alpine shrubs, with alpine meadows found beneath the vast glaciers.
Fauna:
- The park is known for its diverse wildlife, including the elusive snow leopard.
- Other notable species found within the park include the brown bear, blue sheep, musk deer, Asian black bear, and Himalayan tahr, among others.
-Source: Times of India
