25/06/2015
Great Himalayan National Park is now a World Heritage Site...!!!
• The World Heritage Site Committee in its meeting in Doha on the 23rd June, 2014 accorded the status of World Heritage Site to the Great Himalayan National Park
• The GHNP has now come in the league of Indian World Heritage Sites (WHS) such as the Taj Mahal, Ellora, Kaziranga National Park, Keoladeo National Park, Manas National Park, Nandadevi Biosphere Reserve and the Sunderbans.
• The Great Himalayan National Park competed against several other countries for selection as a World Heritage Site under the criteria of “exceptional natural beauty” (Criterion #7) and “conservation of biological diversity” (Criterion #10) .
• The Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) is located in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, the Himalayan state of India, covering an area of 754.4 km2. The GHNP is naturally protected by snow covered, steep ridges on the northern, eastern and southern boundaries. The Park is contiguous with the Rupi Bhaba Wildlife sanctuary in the south-east, Pin Valley National Park in the north-east and Kanawar Wildlife Sanctuary in the north. These areas form the Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area. The initial notification of 620 km2 of the Park was issued in the year 1984. The area was declared as National Park under Wildlife (Protection Act) 1972 by the Himachal Pradesh Government in 1999. This pristine area of temperate forests and alpine meadows surrounded by high mountains has remained without any disturbance in a long time. The climate of the Park is typical of the temperate and alpine regions of the Western human interference since 1999.
• Because of its complex geography and its great variations in altitude, the limited area of the Park encompasses an enormous range of species.
• A total of 832 plants species representing 128 families and 427 genera (which cover 26% of the total flora of Himachal Pradesh) have been recorded from the GHNP. This includes 794 species of angiosperms, 11 species of gymnosperms and 27 species of ferns. Various components of biodiversity were also surveyed in the last decade, resulting in a list of 31 species of mammals, 209 species of birds, 12 species of reptiles, 9 species of amphibians and 125 species of insects.
• GHNP is home to a number of threatened species of global concern, providing them with habitats critical to their continued survival. Extremely vulnerable pheasant and large mammal species are among the animals and plants that find refuge in the GHNP. The Park has distinct regions and ecosystems needed to sustain the ecological integrity and lasting conservation of the Park’s exceptional diversity. The Park supports probably self-sustaining populations of the following IUCN listed near-threatened, vulnerable and endangered species: Leopard, Himalayan Black Bear, Royle’s vole, Himalayan Tahr, Himalayan Serow, Himalayan Goral, Himalayan Musk deer, Western Tragopan and Cheer pheasant. The endangered Snow Leopard and critically endangered Red-headed vulture also are present. The Park contains the largest single population of the vulnerable Western Tragopan and supports probably the densest remaining population of Himalayan Musk Deer west of Nepal.
• The noteworthy issue in according the status of WHS to the GHNP is that there will be no dislocation of the families/villages living in the Park core and their rights have been recognized and would stay protected.
• The Chief Minister, Shri Virbhadra Singh welcomed this decision of UNESCO and stated that this is a recognition of the State’s commendable performance in the conservation of forests, wildlife and heritage. Shri Thakur Singh Bharmouri, the Forest Minister informed that this step would go a long way in growth and development of ecotourism. He reaffirmed the commitment of the State Govt. for protection and conservation of the environment.
You may contact Director, GHNP at the following address:
Director,
Great Himalayan National Park,
Shamshi, District Kullu,
Himachal Pradesh, 125126 - India
Tel. No.: +91-1902-265320
