Flora & Fauna
Uttarakhand is endowed with a unique and diverse range of biodiversity. From the snowbound peaks of the Himalayas to the moist Alpine scrub, sub Alpine forests, dry - temperate and moist- temperate forests to moist deciduous forests, the state possesses a wide biodiversity that in return nurtures a large multiplicity of floral and faunal forms.
Uttarakhand is endowed with a unique and diverse range of biodiversity. From the snowbound peaks of the Himalayas to the moist Alpine scrub, sub Alpine forests, dry - temperate and moist- temperate forests to moist deciduous forests, the state possesses a wide biodiversity that in return nurtures a large multiplicity of floral and faunal forms.
The state is home to nearly 4048 species of Angiosperms and Gymnosperms belonging to 1198 genera under 192 families. Of these nearly 116 species are specific to Uttarakhand i.e. their geographical distribution is limited to the boundaries of the state. 161 species of flora found in Uttarakhand are recognized as rare or threatened under the categorization of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Out of the 223 species of Orchids reported from the North Western Himalayas, over 150 have been reported from the State.
This great floral diversity supports a wide variety of faunal forms too. It includes about 102 species of mammals, 623 species of birds, 124 species of fish, 69 species of reptiles and 19 species of amphibians. Highly endangered species like the Snow Leopard, Musk Deer, Tiger, Asian Elephant, Bharal, Himalayan Monal, Cheer Pheasant, King Cobra etc. find suitable habitat in the forests of Uttarakhand.
This precious natural wealth is our common heritage. In order to conserve this heritage, the state has declared twelve areas as ‘Protected’ including 6 National Parks and six Wildlife Sanctuaries. Nearly 65% of the geographical area of the State is under forest cover, of which over 12% comes under the Protected Area network. This exceeds the national average by a fair margin and is a reflection of the state’s commitment to conservation. The Corbett National Park, established in 1936 is the first National Park of the Asian mainland. The Nandadevi Biosphere Reserve, established under the “Man and biosphere” programme of UNESCO has the honour of being Uttarakhand’s only and the country’s second Biosphere Reserve. This biodiversity wealth is the pride of Uttarakhand.
The natural vegetation of forests may be divided into:
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Trans- Himalayan zone |
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Sub- Alpine and Alpine zone |
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Montane or temperate region |
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Sub- Montane and sub-tropical region |
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Tropical wet Evergreen and semi Evergreen region |
Protected areas like Nanda Devi Biosphere, Corbett National Park, Rajaji National Park, Valley of Flower, Govind Pashu Vihar are well - explored area while the under - explored protected areas include Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary, Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary.
Floristic Distribution in Uttarakhand
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More than 350 species of Plants are threatened and endangered in the state. Most of these threatened plant species are to be found on the hills and have been over-exploited for medicinal, aromatic or commercial ends. The most threatened among the tree species are members of the family Aceraceae. All members of the family Orchidaceae are indeterminate, rare or endangered. Species of the family Woodsiaceae such as Wooddia Andersonii and Woodsia Cyaloba are believed to be extinct or extremely highly endangered. The status of more that 80% of plants is either indeterminate or there id hardly any information about them, necessitating long-term research for area-wise profiling of plant species of the state.
STATE FLOWER: BRAHM KAMAL (Saussurea Obvallata)
Buransh is an all-season medium-height tree found at altitudes ranging from 1500 to 3600 meters in the Himalayan region. The leaves of the tree are thick and it flowers are bell shaped and blood red, white, pink and purple. The flowers bloom in bunches and a rhododendron tree in full blossom presents a striking visual. The extract from the flowers has vital medicinal values.
The Beautiful Bugyals
Uttarakhand is possibly one of the few regions in the world where all the life zones from sub-tropical hot to Arctic cold exist within a telescopic distance of 100 Km, thus providing an astoundingly rich floral and faunal diversity. The State has 12 National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries that cover 13.8% of the total area of the state. The various parks and sanctuaries are located at different altitudes varying from 800 meters to the high altitude protected areas at 5400 meters. Apart from these, there are two Conservation Reserves– The Asan Barrage and Jhilmil Tal conservation Reserves, two World Heritage sites - the Nanda Devi Biosphere reserve and Valley of Flowers National Park. The state boasts of the first national park of the Indian Sub-continent - the Corbett National Park, with its major attractions being tiger, elephant and leopard. It also homes an extensive variety of birds and shares its boundary with the Rajaji National Park.
Almost 300 species of wild flowers bloom here and attract nature lovers, botanists, ecologists, zoologists, ornithologists and trekkers. Other National Parks and Sanctuaries include Binog Wildlifie Sanctuary near Mussoorie, Govind Pashu Vihar and National Park, Askot Wildlife Sanctuary, Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary, Binsar Wild Life Sanctuary near Almora and Gangotri National Park.
A-NATIONAL PARK AT A GLANCE
| National Parks | Date of Formation | Area in Sq. km | Wildlife | Contact |
| Corbett National Park | 11th May 1936 | 521 | Home to around 600 species of birds, 50 mammals and at least 25 species of reptiles in the Ramganga. Known as the land of trupet, roar and songs! | Director, Corbett Tiger Reserve Ph: (05947) 251376, 251489 |
| Gangotri National Park | 16th September 1989 | 2390 | The source of the Ganga-‘Goumukh’ is situated here. Bharal population is remarkable. Musk deer, snow leopard and Himalayan tahr are also found. | Divisional Forest Officer, Uttarkashi Ph: (01374) 222444 |
| Govind National Park | 26th February 1990 | 472 | Famous for trekking destination of Har-ki-dun. Preferred habitat of Snow Leopard and Western Tragopan are also found. | Deputy Director Govind National Park, Purola Ph: (013732) 23438 Director Rajaji National Park Ph: (0135) 2621669 |
| Nanda Devi National Park | 18th August 1980 | 630 | Core zone of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. Home to 800 identified species of herbs, shrubs and trees and 29 species of mammals. | Division Forest Officer, Joshimath Ph: (01389) 222179 |
| Rajaji National Park | 12th August 1983 | 820.42 | Nestled in the Shiwalik opening out to the vast Indo- Gangetic plains, blessed with 315 species of mammals with the elephants as the flagship species. | Director Rajaji National Park Ph: (0135) 2621669 |
| Valley of Flowers National Park | 6th September 1982 | 87.50 | A natural botanical park with over 300 species of wild flowers. | Division Forest Officer, Joshimath Ph: (01389) 222179 |
B-SANCTUARIES
| Sanctuaries | Date of Formation | Area in Sq. km | Wildlife | Contact |
| Askot Wildlife Sancturay | 30th July 1986 | 600 | Fomous for musk deer, Snow Leopard and manal pheasant. | Division Forest Officer, Pithoragarh Ph: (05964) 225234 |
| Binsar Wildlife Sancturay | 25th May 1988 | 45.59 | Offers stunning panorama of the Himalayas, rich in oak forest probably the largest in Kumaon hills and a rich diversity of several endangered species. | Director, Corbett Tiger Reserve Ph: (05947) 251376, 251489 |
| Govind Wildlife Sancturay | 22nd March 1955 | 485.56 | Forms the upper catchment of Swarga- Rohini, Black peak and Bandar Punch lie north of the Sanctuary. | Deputy Director Govind National Park, Purola Ph: (013732) 23438 Director Rajaji National Park Ph: (0135) 2621669 |
| Kedarnath Wildlife Sancturay | 21th January 1972 | 975.24 | Lush green oak forest, temples of Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath and Madmaheshwar popularly called Kedarnath. | Divisional Forest Officer, Kedarnath Wildlife Division, Gopeshwar Ph: (01372) 252149 |
| Mussoorie Wildlife Sancturay | 2nd September 1993 | 10.82 | Mountain Quail will someday return to this sanctuary where it was once occurred. It has pristine oak forests. | Director Rajaji National Park Ph: (0135) 2621669 |
| Sonanadi Wildlife Sancturay | 9th January 1987 | 301.76 | It is a protected area between Rajaji and Corbett National Parks and hence has the biodiversity similar to both. | Director, Corbett Tiger Reserve Ph: (05947) 251376, 251489 |
C- CONSERVATION RESERVES
| Conservation Reserve | Date of Formation | Area in Sq. km | Wildlife | Contact |
| Jhilmil Tal | 14th August 2005 | 37.83 | Falls under subtropical climatic zone and probably the only Swamp deer habitat in Uttarakhand. | Divisional Forest Officer, Haridwar Ph: (01334) 226271 |
| Asan Wetland | 14th August 2005 | 4.44 | A paradise for migratory birds. | Divisional Forest Officer, Kalsi Forest Division Ph: (01360) 275052 |
D- High Altitude Zoo
| Name & Place | Date of Formation | Area in Heq. | Wildlife | Contact |
| Bharat Ratan Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant High Altitude Zoo Nanital | 01st June 1965 | 4.699 | Siberian Tiger, Panther, Wild Cat, Hill Fox, Hill Black Bear, Deer, Sambhar, Monal Pageant | Director, Bharat Ratan Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant High Altitude Zoo, Nainital Ph. No. 05942-236469 |
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