Wildlife Conservation Efforts

In news: Valley of Flowers National Park

Why in the News?

The Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand opened to tourists on June 1 for its annual four-month window.

Valley of Flowers National Park

About the Valley of Flowers National Park:

  • Location: The park is in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, within the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.
  • Altitude and Size: It covers 87 square kilometres and lies at 3,352 to 3,658 metres above sea level.
  • Protected Status: Declared a National Park in 1980 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.
  • Natural Features: Known for its colourful meadows, dense forests, waterfalls, and snow-capped mountains.
  • Mountain Range: Lies in the transition zone between the Zanskar and Great Himalaya ranges.
  • River System: The Pushpawati River, from the Tipra Glacier, flows through the valley into the Alaknanda River.
  • Ecosystem: It is part of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, which was named a UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) Reserve in 2004.

Flora and Fauna of the Valley:

  • Plant Diversity: The valley has over 520–650 species of flowers like orchids, primulas, poppies, daisies, and the sacred brahmakamal.
  • Flora by Altitude Zones:
    1. Sub-alpine (3,200–3,500 m): Trees like maple, fir, birch, and rhododendron.
    2. Lower alpine (3,500–3,700 m): Shrubs like junipers, willows, and geraniums.
    3. Higher alpine (above 3,700 m): Mosses, lichens, and the blue Himalayan poppy.
  • Animal Life: Includes rare species like the Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, musk deer, brown bear, red fox, and the Himalayan monal bird.
[UPSC 2019] Which one of the following National Parks lies completely in the temperate alpine zone?

Options: (a) Manas National Park (b) Namdapha National Park (c) Neora Valley National Park (d) Valley of Flowers National Park*

 

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