GOVIND PASHU VIHAR

GOVIND PASHU VIHAR NATIONAL PARK AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARY (GPVNPWS) WAS ESTABLISHED INITIALLY AS A WILDLIFE SANCTUARY IN 1955 AND WAS LATER CONVERTED INTO A NATIONAL PARK IN SUPIN RANGE OF UTTARKASHI DISTRICT IN UTTARAKHAND HIMALYAS. IT IS NAMED ON THE NAME OF GOVIND BALLABH PANT, WHO BECAME HOME MINISTER IN 1955, ALSO CREDITED TO ESTABLISH HINDI AS A NATIONAL LANGUAGE. THE PARK LIES IN THE HIGHER REACHES OF THE WESTERN UTTARAKHAND HIMALAYAS. THE TOTAL AREA OF GPVNPWS IS 958 KM².

THE SANCTUARY CONTAINS WESTERN HIMALAYAN BROADLEAF FORESTS, SUBALPINE CONIFER FORESTS, SHRUBS AND MEADOWS. IT INCLUDE TREES LIKE CHIR PINE, DEODAR CEDAR, BLUE PINE, SILVER FIR, SPRUCE, YEW, AND DECIDUOUS SPECIES SUCH AS OAK,

MAPLE, WALNUT, HORSE CHESTNUT, HAZEL, AND RHODODENDRON. SANCTUARY IS HOME TO ASIAN BLACK BEAR, BROWN BEAR, COMMON LEOPARD, MUSK DEER, BHARAL, HIMALAYAN THAR, SEROW, INDIAN CRESTED PORCUPINE, EUROPEAN OTTER, GORAL, CIVET, HEDGEHOG, HIMALAYAN FIELD RAT, HODGSON'S GIANT FLYING SQUIRREL, WILD BOAR,

MASKED PALM CIVET AND SIKKIM MOUNTAIN VOLE AND MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SPECIES OF BIRD INCLUDE SEVERAL ENDANGERED SPECIES SUCH AS THE GOLDEN EAGLE, BEARDED VULTURE, HIMALAYAN SNOWCOCK, HIMALAYAN MONAL, CHEER PHEASANT, WESTERN TRAGOPAN, MOUNTAIN SCOPS OWL AND FINCHES. AS THE PARK IS UNIQUE FOR ITS RICHNESS OF FLORA AND FAUNA, THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT HAS INAUGURATED THE SNOW LEOPARD PROJECT IN THIS PARK, AIMS TO PROVIDE SPECIAL CONSERVATION MEASURES TO PROTECT THE SNOW LEOPARD.

EVERY YEAR LACS OF TOURIST COME HERE FOR HIGH ALTITUDE TREKKING AND CLIMBING AS THE PARK HAS MORE THAN 30 TREKS TO HIGH MOUNTAIN PASSES, LAKES, GLACIERS AND MEADOWS, DOZENS OF PEAKS TO CLIMB. ALSO, THE PARK HAS SANKRI, A POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION, DEVELOPED WITH THE MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE IS HOME TO THOUSANDS OF ADVENTURE PROFESSIONAL.

ATTRACTIONS

• WALKING SAFARI INSIDE THE PARK IS DREAM FOR NATURE LOVER AND WILDLIFE ENTHUSIASTS. SIGHTING DIFFERENT WILD ANIMALS AND BIRDS OF WESTERN HIMALAYAN FOREST AND MOUNTAINS IN THEIR NATURAL HABITAT IS AN ULTIMATE JOY. SNOW LEOPARD, THE MOST SIGNATURE ELEMENT OF THE PARK, CAN BE SEEN AROUND IN ABUNDANCE, SPOTTING THE HIMALAYAN BLACK BEAR CAN BE A LITTLE TRICKY AND ASSURANCE OF ADRELIN RUSH.

•  BIRDING IS AN ANOTHER GEM ACTIVITY AS IT IS A HOME TO ENDANGERED SPECIES OF BIRDS IN THE HIMALAYAS. THESE INCLUDE THE GOLDEN EAGLE, BEARDED- VULTURE, HIMALAYAN SNOWCOCK, HIMALAYAN MONAL, CHEER PHEASANT, WESTERN TRAGOPAN, OWLS, AND FINCHES.

• MOST INTERESTING AND THRILLING ACTIVITY IS HIGH ALTITUDE TREKKING AND PEAK CLIMBING EXPEDITIONS. ONE CAN ENJOY REACHING THE HIGHER AND FASCINATING PLACES OF THE REGION AS THE SANKRI HAS EVERYTHING AVAILABLE NEEDED TO BE IN THE MOUNTAINS.