Eco Travel: Hemis National Park, Jammu & Kashmir

A stronghold of the endangered Snow Leopard, Hemis National Park lies in Ladakh in India’s northern state of Jammu and Kashmir.


SPECIES TO WATCH

snow-leopard-1985510_640
Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) Endangered

via wikimedia
via wikimedia

Urial or Shapo (Ovis orientalis vignei ), Vulnerable

via itsnature.org
via itsnature.org

Tibetan Wolf (Canis lupus chanco), a subspecies of the Grey Wolf

via Flickr
via Flickr

Bharal (Pesudois nayaur), Least Concern and main prey species for the Snow Leopard

 FIND ON THE MAP

The Park is located between 33º38′-34º11′ N latitudes and 77º00′-77º44′ E longitudes.

It is spread over an area of 4,400 km2, is approximately 10 km from the nearest town, Leh (the capital of Ladakh district), and at altitudes ranging from 3000-6000 m

Read More: Travel, Dachigam National Park, Jammu & Kashmir

IDEAL TIME TO VISIT

Trekking is easiest from mid-June to mid-October, however, the best time for sighting snow leopards is late winter.

Image via trekking in India
Image via trekking in India

THINGS TO KNOW

 ABOUT THE PARK

  • The park was created in 1981 to protect the Rumbak and Markha cantonments
  • Through successive notifications, its area increased from 600 sq km to 4,400 sq km in 1990
  • A number of Tibetan monasteries are located within the park. Of this, the most important is the Hemis Monastery.
Image of Hemis Monastry via wikimedia
Image of Hemis Monastry via wikimedia

CLIMATE

  • Average summer temperature:    15 °C (59 °F)
  • Average winter temperature:      −30 °C (−22 °F)
  • Average precipitation:                 160.5 mm



HABITAT TYPE

Steep rocky ridges, which are largely devoid of vegetation in the higher reaches, is one of the park’s major features. Hemis NP lies in a rainshadow area and polar and tundra habitats are a major feature of the park.

FLORA

Chukar Patridge at Hemis. Image via Flickr
Chukar Patridge at Hemis. Image via Flickr

Alpine and high altitude steppe vegetation is predominant. This includes Juniper, Salix and birch trees in lower altitudes and Anemona, Gentiana and Lloydia plantations in upper reaches.

FAUNA

Hemis is home to 16 species of mammals and 73 species of birds. The park’s flagship species is the Snow Leopard, of which it contains over 200 individuals. One of the major strongholds of the big cat is the Rumbak catchment area. Their preybase in Hemis consists of Himalayan goat-antelopes such as the Bharal, Argali, Urial and Asiatic Ibex.  Interestingly, the Urial is found nowhere else in India.

Himalayan Black Bear via cc/Flickr
Himalayan Black Bear via cc/Flickr

Hemis is also a major stronghold of the Critically Endangered Himalayan Black Bear and the fast-disappearing Tibetan Wolf.
The park’s smaller mammal denizens include the Himalayan marmot, the Mountain Weasel and the Himalayan Mouse Hare.

Hemis is home to many rarely seen species of birds; among these are the Golden Eagle, Lammergeier and the Himalayan Griffon. The brown accentor, Red-billed chough, Himalayan snowcock and Fire-fronted serin are just a few of the birds which are not seen anywhere else in India.

Read More: Photographer Clicks Stunning Images Of Snow Leopard With Kill

SAFARI INFORMATION

The park itself lacks motorable roads, however. A number of trekking routes dot the park. Himalayan Homestays provides experienced trekking guides, who are also adept at tracking and spotting wildlife.

Zinchen, a beautiful village at the foothills of the Stok La range & the also part of Hemis National Park. Image via cc/Flickr
Zinchen, a beautiful village at the foothills of the Stok La range & the also part of Hemis National Park. Image via cc/Flickr

ACCOMMODATION

In the recent past, homestays have sprung up at a number of locations throughout the park-Chiling, Kaya, Rumbak, Skyu, Yurutse and Shingo. These charge a very modest fee.
In addition, travellers can camp overnight in most parts of the park.

 

HOW TO REACH

Hemis is 10 km south of Leh, and a daily bus service plies between the town and the park. Leh can be reached by flight from Delhi, Chandigarh, Srinagar and Jammu.

EXPERT TRAVELER TIPS

  • Warm clothing needs to be worn at all times. In winter, wearing gloves is a must for warding off frostbite.  
  • Be prepared for long and arduous treks.
  • Wildlife sightings will typically occur at large distances; hence a pair of binoculars needs to be carried.
  • Tickets to flights to and from Leh need to be booked well in advance.

Read More: 4 Reasons Why Climate Change Is Bad For Snow Leopards

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Soumya Banerjee is a 23-year old freelance journalist who likes writing on environmental issues. He aspires to become a forest officer, and is preparing for the Indian Forest Service Examination.
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