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Site description (2004 baseline):
Site location and context
The Gangotri National Park (GNP) lies in the upper catchments of River Bhagirathi and derives it name from the famous Gangotri Temple, one of the four highly revered Hindu Dhams. The Park is located at a distance of about 100 km from the district headquarters Uttarkashi. It covers a wide altitudinal gradient from about 1,800 m to 7,000 m (Satopanth peak) and is one of the largest protected areas of Uttaranchal. The varied topography and large altitudinal range in GNP provide a diversity of habitats for various floral and faunal assemblages. A major portion of GNP is rugged and snow-covered. The Gangotri glacier lies at the centre of the Park and gives rise to River Bhagirathi, called Ganga beyond Deoprayag. Concerns have been raised that this glacier is fast receding due to various reasons. The Park has a relatively good forest cover and the vegetation types vary from Himalayan Moist Temperate Forests to the Alpine scrub and pastures. As elsewhere in the Himalayas, the Himalayan Moist Temperate Forests are dominated mostly by species of oaks or conifers. Ban Oak
Quercus leucotrichophora dominates the lower altitude areas (1,800 m to 2,200 m) and is usually associated with
Rhododendron arboreum,
Ilex dipyrena and
Lyonia ovalifolia. Moru Oak
Quercus floribunda with its associates namely
Aesculus indica and species of
Acer, dominates the middle altitudes (2,200 to 2,500 m). Kharsu Oak
Quercus semecarpifolia, sometimes in almost pure stands (which are rare in case of Moru Oak), dominates the higher altitude regions (> 2,500 m). At some places, especially along water channels and mesic areas,
Aesculus indica,
Acer spp.,
Pyrus lantana and
Juglans regia gain dominance over oaks. While at lower altitudes (< 2,200 m), along river valleys and landslide areas, Alder
Alnus nepalensis forests, which are seral in nature, dominate the vegetation. In steep rocky areas around 2600 m with poor soil, the vegetation chiefly consists of
Cupressus torulosa, often associated with
Cedrus deodara and
Pinus wallichiiana. The Himalayan Dry Temperate Forests are represented by Deodar
Cedrus deodara dominated stands around 2,500 m. These forests have been heavily exploited in the past for timber and railway sleepers. Needle-leaf Forests dominated by
Abies pindrow with
Picea smithiana are frequent between 2,600 m to 3,000 m. Stands of Blue Pine
Pinus wallichiiana are also present in the area and can occasionally be found up to 3,400 m. The Sub-Alpine zones, usually above 3,000 m are dominated by
Quercus semecarpifolia,
Abies pindrow and
Taxus baccata with other broadleaf species. The krumholtz zone (stunted forest) above 3,300 m above msl dominated by
Rhododendron campanulatum and
Betula utilis along with
Sorbus foliolosa are quite distinct in the areas where anthropogenic pressures in the past had been less. This zone represents the tree limit and gives way to the beautiful alpine pastures or meadows, locally called bugyal. These meadows are a storehouse of many rare and threatened medicinal plants. Important ones are
Aconitum heterophyllum,
Dactylorhiza hatagirea,
Picrorhiza kurrooa and
Jurinea dolomiaea. This rich floral value of the Park has resulted in the naming of many places based on them such as Chirbasa (area mainly dominated by
Pinus wallichiiana, locally called chir) and Bhojbasa (area mainly dominated by
Betula utilis, locally called bhoj). The Park provides refuge to sensitive Sub-Alpine and Alpine vegetation, which are degrading in many parts of the Himalayas due to overuse by man. The Park, apart from representing the west Himalayan ecosystem also has some peculiarities. The boundary in the north and northeast forms the international boundary with China. This portion therefore, also represents the Trans-Himalayan ecosystem and species such as
Thylacospermum sp., and
Lamium rhomboideum characteristic of cold arid regions are found here. Similarly, though pure patches of
Taxus baccata (locally called thuner) are rare, the area above Sukki village harbours a pure stand of thuner. The GNP also forms a corridor between Govind National Park and the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. Taken together, these three protected areas form a very large contiguous conservation unit.
AVIFAUNA: Little information is available on the birds of the Park though presence of galliformes such as Common Hill Partridge Arborophila torqueola, Kaleej Pheasant Lophura leucomelanos, Koklass Pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha, Monal Pheasant, and Himalayan Snowcock Tetraogallus himalayensis are known. Presence of Cheer Pheasant Catreus wallichii in the Chir Pine Pinus roxburghii forests adjacent to the GNP has been reported by local people and Nepali labourers, which needs to be confirmed. Judging by the altitudinal range, diversity of forests and large area, this IBA is likely to hold a very good representation of West Himlayan avifauna.
OTHER KEY FAUNA: The Park is home to diverse Himalayan fauna. Some of the threatened ones include Himalayan Musk Deer Moschus chrysogaster, Blue Sheep Pseudois nayaur, Goral Naemorhedus goral, Sambar Cervus unicolor, Serow Capricornis sumatraensis and Himalayan Tahr Hemitragus jemlahicus. The major carnivores inhabiting the area include the Snow Leopard Uncia uncia and the Leopard Panthera pardus. Dominant small carnivores include the Red Fox Vulpes vulpes, Himalayan Yellow-throated Marten Martes flavigula and Himalayan Weasel Mustela sibirica. Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus and Wild Boar Sus scrofa are also common. Pika or the mouse hare Ochotona roylei is quite common in the sub-alpine and alpine zones.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
MAIN THREATS: Livestock grazing; Collection of medicinal plants; Tourism; Disturbance to birds (poaching, killing, trapping).
The conservation issues related to this IBA are not different from the other protected areas of the Himalayas. Charaching of wildlife and illegal extraction of medicinal plants occur in the interior and less visited areas. Though religious sentiments attached to the Gangotri shrine and frequent traffic during summer curbs illegal activities, certain species are vulnerable to poaching during winters. Grazing by domestic livestock and migratory graziers has led to the degradation of sensitive sub-alpine forests and meadows in some areas. Increased, unmanaged and concentrated tourism has also taken its toll. What impact(s) will the Tehri Dam (constructed at Tehri, in the lower catchments of River Bhagirathi) have on this IBA (that is located in the upper catchments of River Bhagirathi) is not known.
Key contributors: Sanjay Uniyal and Gopal S. Rawat.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gangotri National Park (India). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gangotri-national-park-iba-india on 23/11/2024.
