The park is located in Banjar subdivision of Kullu district in the far Western Himalayas.įour of GHNP’s mammal species and three of its bird species are globally threatened, including the musk deer and the western horned tragopan. The GNHP, notified in 1999, is home to 203 bird species, including the western tragopan, the Himalayan monal, the koklas, the white-crested kalij and the cheer, all pheasant species. Panoramic view in the Great Himalayan National Park Historically, village communities depend on natural resources, especially during the harsh winters when foodstuff depletes, we prefer to hire locals to minimise chances of game hunting,” he added.īy engaging with the local villagers and understanding their socio-economic needs, the park authorities turned the people into ‘guardians’ from ‘hunters’. “Since most of the villagers have licensed guns for protection of self and crops, the chances of using them for poaching are high despite the ban on hunting. He said that camera trapping devices will be installed in at least 20 highly-sensitive locations mainly in Tirthan-Sainj regions.īesides monitoring the movement of animals, the camera devices play a crucial role in keeping a tab on poachers who are largely locals owing to tough topography. “We have started the process to deploy sufficient staff for group patrolling to check poaching during the winter,” Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Nishant Mandhotra, who is in-charge of GHNP, told IANS. The authorities rely on local people for gathering intelligence and safeguarding the wild flora and fauna species.Īhead of the onset of winter, the authorities gear up to protect Western Himalayan biodiversity that comprise many medicinal herbs, 31 mammal and 209 bird species, mainly from mountain settlements in 16 panchayats in the buffer zone called an eco-zone of the park.
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