Govind Pashu Vihar National Park

About Govind Pashu Vihar National Park

• The Govind Pashu Vihar National Park is located in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand.
  • It forms part of the Western Himalayan biogeographic zone.
• It comprises two major valleys – the Rupin Valley and Supin Valley that form important catchments for the Tons River, the main tributary of the Yamuna River.
  • It is home to the Har Ki Dun Valley, also known as the “Valley of Gods”.
• Named after: It is named after Govind Ballabh Pant (1887–1961), a revered Indian freedom fighter who played a pivotal role in the Indian independence movement.
• Established in: It has been established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and later upgraded to a national park in 1990.
• Area: It spans approximately 958 sq. km. 
• River flowing through it: Two major rivers Rupin and Supin flow through the it.
• Vegetation:  Its vegetation varies with altitude, comprising subtropical forests of pine and alder at lower elevations, temperate forests of oak, deodar and rhododendron, and sub-alpine forests of birch and fir at higher elevations.
  • Beyond 3,500 m, alpine vegetation consisting mainly of grasses, sedges and medicinal herbs is found.
• Flora: These variations support rich floral diversity, including pine, alder and other deciduous trees in the subtropical zone; oak, deodar, walnut and rhododendron in the temperate zone; and birch, fir and rhododendron in the sub-alpine zone.
  • The alpine region is characterised by grasses, sedges and medicinal plants such as Nardostachys jatamansi, Picrorhiza kurroa and Aconitum heterophyllum.
• Fauna: It has been identified as a priority area for snow leopard conservation.
  • Other species found in the region are the Himalayan Black Bear, Brown Bear, Musk Deer, Bharal (Blue Sheep), Himalayan Tahr and Leopard.
  • It supports a rich diversity of avifauna, with approximately 100–150 bird species such as Western Tragopan, Himalayan Monal, Koklass Pheasant and Golden Eagle, vultures, owls, finches and warblers.
  • It also harbours around 70 species of butterflies, which play an important role in pollination and maintaining ecological balance.