Landscapes Of Hope
The Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve is a biosphere reserve in the Western Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh, India. It was established in 2009 and is India’s 16th biosphere reserve.One of the most fascinating biosphere reserves in India, Cold Desert is noted for the preservation of the snow leopard. It is stretched along the Western Himalayas, from Ladakh to Kinnaur, in Himachal Pradesh. Declared a biosphere reserve in 2009, it comprises the Pin Valley National Park and its surroundings, Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, Sarchu and Chandratal, etc. Some of the common fauna you can spot here include Himalayan black bear, Himalayan blue sheep, Himalayan ibex, snow pigeon, Tibetan gazelle, woolly hare, red fox, etc.
Floral biodiversity
Floral diversity includes 14 endemic plants species, 68 native plant species to the cold desert area and 62 threatened plant species. The region is famous for its alpine meadows and agro-pastoralist lifestyle and this is largely attributed to presence of 20 fodder species in the whole Spiti region. Over 66 species of plants have some economic importance for local communities.
47 Endangered medicinal plants found in Pin Valley are used in traditional Tibetan medicinal system – Sowa Rigpa/ Amchi medicinal system. Some important plants being used locally include Hippophae rhamnoides, Salix spp, Betula utilis, Myricaria germanica, Aconitum heterophyllum (EN) etc. Rise of Apple orchards and Pea cultivation is threatening the floral biodiversity.
| Category | Number of Species |
|---|---|
| Herbs | 655 |
| Shrubs | 41 |
| Trees | 17 |
Faunal Diversity
Faunal diversity consists of following
- Mammals:— 17 species
- Birds:- 119 Species
- Mollusca:- 03 species
- Chilopoda:- 03 species
- Annelia-Earthworm:- 07 species
- Butterfly & Moths – 62 species
- Coleoptera-Beetles:- 17 species
- Diptera-Flies:- 10 species
- Hymenoptera:- 23 species
- Orthoptera-Grasshoppers:- 07 species
- Insecta-Plecoptera (Stone flies):- 07 species
Status of Megafauna
Among the Megafauna, total 27 Snow Leopards were captured in Camera traps deployed in CDBR during 2018-21. Prey density was shown to have a positive relationship with snow leopard density. Overall 73 Snow Leopards were estimated across the state of HP
Some of the threatened fauna found in CDBR include:- Snow Leopard (VU), Himalayan Griffon(NT), Bearded Vulture/ Lammergeier (NT), Red Fox(), Himalayan Brown Bear(CR), Tibetan Gazelle (NT), Mountain weasel (NT) etc.
| Prey Species (Ungulates) | Area | Estimated Abundance in CDBR region |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Sheep (Psudois nayaur) | Spiti valley | 810 |
| Tabo | 351 | |
| Ibex (Capra sibirica) | Pin Valley | 224 |
| Chandra valley | 47 | |
| Spiti valley | 94 |
Work Done So Far
PROJECT SNOW LEOPARD (PSL)
Implemented during 2009-14. Activities included improving PA and outer area management, restoration of degraded landscapes, conservation education and research on humanwildlife interface.
CBDR Integrated Management Action Plan
Grant-in-Aid from GOI (90:10) for activities like -awareness generation, capacity building, habitat improvement, reducing Human-wildlife conflicts, Research studies etc. were given from 2011-12 onwards.
Management Plans of PAs
Upper Spiti Landscape, Chandratal WLS and Pin valley National Park for the period 2018-2028. Currently being funded through CAMPA funds
Project for Improvement of HP Forest Ecosystems Management & Livelihoods (2018-2028)
24 Bio-diversity Management sub-committees and 40 SHGs have been formed.
Map of CDBR
The Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve, nestled within the western Himalayas of India, spans across the states of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. This unique reserve is distinguished by its starkly beautiful landscape, characterized by barren lands, high-altitude deserts, and alpine meadows. This conservation area not only safeguards a precious ecosystem but also stands as a testament to the resilience of life in some of the harshest environments on Earth.
| Zone of biosphere reserve | Area (Sq. Km) |
|---|---|
| Core Zone | 2665 |
| Buffer Zone | 3977 |
| Transition Zone | 1128 |
| CDBR | 7770 |
