Rapid Fire
Valley of Flowers National Park
- 20 Jan 2026
- 3 min read
Uttarakhand has sought the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) help to douse a forest fire raging in the Valley of Flowers National Park.
Valley of Flowers National Park
- About: Situated in the Western Himalayas in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, it is a National Park (declared in 1982) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 2005). It forms one of the two core zones of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. Pushpawati River flows through it.
- Discovery & Recognition: Introduced globally after its 1931 discovery by British mountaineer Frank S. Smythe. Gained further fame through his 1938 book Valley of Flowers.
- Ecological Uniqueness: It features a pristine alpine ecosystem (3000 and 5000 m in the western Himalayas) preserved by natural glacial barriers. It lies in a transition zone between the Zanskar and Greater Himalayan ranges. It is renowned for its alpine meadows, rare flora, and diverse fauna.
- Biodiversity:
- Flora: It is famed for over 500 species of endemic and alpine flowers. Key species include the Brahma Kamal (state flower of Uttarakhand), blue Himalayan poppy, and numerous medicinal plants.
- Fauna: Hosts rare and endangered fauna such as the snow leopard, Asiatic black bear, musk deer, brown bear, and the Himalayan monal bird.
- Cultural Significance: It is associated with the Bhotia tribe. They practice transhumance, a form of seasonal migration between high-altitude summer pastures (known locally as Bugyals) and lower-altitude winter settlements.
| Read More: Biosphere Reserves in India |
