Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary
| Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Snow leopard in Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary | |
Kibber WS Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary (in Himachal Pradesh) Kibber WS Kibber WS (India) | |
Interactive map of Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary | |
| Location | Lahaul and Spiti district, Himachal Pradesh, India |
| Nearest city | Kaza |
| Coordinates | 32°12′35″N 78°04′35″E / 32.2096°N 78.0765°E |
| Area | 2,220.12 km2 (857.19 sq mi) |
| Established | 1999 |
| Governing body | Himachal Pradesh Forest Department |
Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary is a high-altitude protected area in the Indian Himalayas. It is located in the Spiti Valley of Lahaul and Spiti district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It was established in 1999, and covers an area of 2,220.12 km2 (857.19 sq mi).[1] It is the only cold desert sanctuary in India.[2]
Geography
The Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary spans an area of 2,220.12 km2 (857.19 sq mi) in the Spiti Valley of the Himalayas. It forms part of the Lahaul and Spiti district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and is the largest protected area in the state. It mainly consists of cold desert and alpine habitat around the village of Kibber, at elevations ranging between 3,800–6,000 m (12,500–19,700 ft).[1] The sanctuary encompasses the upper Spiti River valley and the surrounding ridges. It borders the Pin Valley National Park to the south via a high-altitude corridor. The terrain is characterized by stark rocky slopes, glacier-fed streams, and sparse alpine meadows.[3] The reserve can be accessed via the state highway connecting Kaza and Chandra Taal.[1]
Flora and fauna
There were 116 plant species recorded in the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, representing 71 genera and 33 families. Among these, nine species were shrubs and 107 were classified as herbs. The dominant families were Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Rosaceae. Commonly found medicinal plants include Ratan Jot (Arnebia euchroma), Atis (Aconitum heterophyllum), Pashanved (Bergenia stracheyi), Somlata (Ephedra gerardiana), Kutki (Picrorhiza kurroa), Caragana (Caragana versicolor), Thangdoom (Hyoscyamus niger), Gipachi (Nepeta longibracteata), and Sangthick (Primula scotica).[4]
The wildlife sanctuary supports several high-altitude mammals such as Bharal (Pseudois nayaur), Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana), Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus), Himalayan wolf (Canis lupus chanco), Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica), snow leopard (Panthera uncia), and Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata).[4] About 30 snow leopards were reported in the sanctuary in 2018.[5] There have been more than 90 documented bird species in the park including bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar), Himalayan vulture (Gyps himalayensis), and Tibetan snowcock (Tetraogallus tibetanus).[6]
References
- ^ a b c "Government of Himachal Pradesh" (PDF). Government of Himachal Pradesh. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
- ^ "Sanctuaries". Government of Himachal Pradesh. Archived from the original on 28 August 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ "Biodiversity Assessment of Spiti Region (including Kibber WS)" (PDF). Wildlife Institute of India. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2026. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary". Spiti Wildlife Division. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ "Up to 30 snow leopards in Kibber wildlife sanctuary of Spiti". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "Bird list – Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary". eBird. Retrieved 3 July 2025.