UNESCO designated the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve in India – as part of 26 new sites – to UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).
- This designation brings India’s total to 13 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, joining a global network of 785 sites.
- Also, São Tomé and Príncipe – a Central African island nation – becomes the first State to have its entire territory designated as a biosphere reserve.
About Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve
- Location: This is India’s first high-altitude cold desert biosphere reserve and one of the coldest and driest ecosystems in UNESCO’s WNBR.
- It is located in Himalayas and stretches from Ladakh (comprising Leh and Kargil Districts) in north to Kinnaur (Spiti valley and Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh) in South.
- Protected Areas: It covers the Pin Valley National Park and its surroundings, Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Biome: It constitutes a Cold Desert biome with harsh climatic conditions, attributed to two factors – location on leeward side of Himalayas (making it a rain-shadow zone) and very high elevation.
- Culture: Distinct Buddhist culture dominates the region with presence of:
- Gompas (Buddhist monasteries), Chorten (remarkable type of stupas) and Mani Walls (long and thick platform like row of stones).
- Buddhist Chanting of Ladakh, inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- Fauna: Snow Leopard, Himalayan Ibex, Blue Sheep, Himalayan Wolf, Golden Eagle etc.
About WNBR
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