Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area added in World Heritage list
India’s Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (GHNPCA), has been inscribed on the World Heritage List as per Criterion (X) of UNESCO Guidelines. The Criterion X is “To contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.”
The Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (GHNPCA):
Location: Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh, India
Area and Rivers: 905.40 sq km, includes the upper mountain glacial and snow melt water source origins of the westward flowing JiwaNal, Sainj and Tirthan Rivers and the north-westward flowing Parvati River.
Located at the convergence of Oriental and Palaearctic realms, GHNP offers a unique opportunity for the species from both biogeographic regions to flourish, propagate and evolve. Several rare and threatened species including the Western Tragopan, Himalayan Tahr,Chir Pheasant, Asiatic Black Bear, Snow Leopard, Himalayan Musk Deer, Blue Sheep and Serow inhabit in this area. Around 25 threatened IUCN Red-listed plant species have been registered from the park. The area has more than 35 peaks of greater than 5000m and two greater than 6000m. The boundaries of GHNP are also adjoining the recently established (2010) Khirganga National Park, the Pin Valley National Park in trans-Himalaya, Rupi-Bhabha Wildlife Sanctuary in Sutlej watershed and Kanawar Wildlife Sanctuary (61 sq km).
Month: Current Affairs - June, 2014
Category: Places in News Current Affairs