NANDA DEVI AND VALLEY OF FLOWERS NATIONAL PARK

• Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park

Nanda Devi Vallley of Flowers National Park are nestled high in West Himalya . The Nanda Devi National Park,established in 1982,is a national park situated around the peak on Nanda Devi (7816m)in the state of Uttarakhand in Northern India.The entire park lies at an elevation of more than , 3500m(11,500 ft)above mean sea level.The gentle landscape of the valley of flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park.Together , they encom-pass a unique transistion zone between the mountain of the Zanskar and Great Himalya.Valley of Flower National Park is renowned for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers  and outstanding natural beauty. The National Park was inscribed a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1988.The latter was expanded and renamed to Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks in 2005.Within the National Park lies the Nanda Devi sanctuary, a glacial basin surrounded by a ring of peaks between 6000 metres and 7500 metres high,and drained by the Rishi Ganga through The Rishi Ganga gorge, a steep, almost impassible narrow pass.Common large mammals seen there are Himalyan musk,deer,mainland serow and Himalyan tahr .Goral are not found within,but in the vicinity of the park.Carnivores are represented by Snow Leopards,Himalyan black bear and perhaps also brown bear. Langurs (kind of monkeys) are found within the park in large numbers,whereas rheses macaque are known to occur in the neighbouring areas of the park.In a scietific expedition in 1993, a total of 114 bird species were recognized.It is home to a wide variety of flora.Some 312 flora species that include 17 rare species have been found here.Fir,birch,rhododendron,and juniper are the main flora.Vegetation is scarce in the inner sanctuary due to the dryness of the conditions.One will not find vegetation near Nanda Devi  Glacier.Ramani,alpine,prone mosses and lichens are other notable floral species found in Nanda Devi national Park.