Gangotri National Park

• Gangotri national park (GNP) authorities would soon be transferring around 50 hectares of land to Army and ITBP to develop new bunkers and border outposts near the LAC.

ABOUT GANGOTRI NATIONAL PARK

• It was established in 1989 and is situated in Uttarkashi, Uttrakhand in the upper catchment of Bhagirathi River.
• Gaumukh at Gangotri glacier, the origin of river Ganga, is located inside the park.
• The park area forms a viable continuity between Govind National Park and Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary.
• The northeastern section of the park forms the international boundary of India and Tibet (China).
• Area- 2,390 sq km across a highly mountainous part of the country.
• Major peaks within the park include Chaukhamba I, Satopanth, Chaukhamba II, Chaukhamba III, and Kedarnath Main.
• Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests dominate at lower elevation.
  • These forests are filled with fir trees intermixed with deodar, oak, spruce, and rhododendrons trees.
• Higher elevations in the park are home to Western Himalayan alpine shrubs.
  • Alpine meadows are also common beneath the massive glaciers.
• Various rare and endangered species like bharal or blue sheep, black bear, brown bear, himalayan monal, himalayan snowcock, himalayan tahr, musk deer and snow leopard are found in the park.