News Excerpt:
Recently, a video clip showed loud bangs of firecrackers, lights, and clouds of smoke along with the echo of the ringing temple bells, raising alarm over the effect of such crackers in the geologically sensitive glacier region (Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary).
About Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary:
- It is the largest protected area of Uttarakhand.
- It is situated in an area of 975 square kilometers between Kedarnath in Rudraprayag and Badrinath in Chamoli.
- It is located at an elevation of 1,160 meters above sea level, this sanctuary came under the wildlife protection act in the year 1972.
- It lies amidst the temperate, sub-alpine, coniferous, and alpine forest cover.
- Higher up on altitude the landscape changes dramatically to high altitude bugyals (meadows) and grasslands.
- This region is also known to possess numerous medicinal and aromatic plant species out of which 22 of them are extremely rare to find.
- According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature list, this is the migration point for many endangered animals.
- Many wild animals, like the snow leopard, Himalayan tahr, musk deer, red fox, Himalayan porpoise, black bear, Himalayan marmot, monal, and griffon vulture live here.
- Thirty species of mammals, 240 species of birds, 147 species of butterflies, nine species of snakes, and 10 species of fish have been recorded in the sanctuary.
- The sanctuary witnesses a large number of Hindu temples which are visited by numerous pilgrims and devotees during the open seasons, like - Kedarnath Mandir, Mandani, Madhyamaheshwar, Tungnath, Ansuya Devi, and Rudranath.
