Shimla: In a major step toward protecting high-altitude wildlife, the Himachal Pradesh government has declared Tsarap Chu in Lahaul-Spiti as India’s largest conservation reserve. Spanning 1,700 square kilometers, the reserve is now a safe haven for rare and endangered species, including snow leopards, Siberian ibex, Tibetan argali, Himalayan wolf, and bharal (blue sheep).
The official notification was issued under Section 36A(1) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, following consultations with local panchayats of Darcha and Losar. This fulfills a commitment made by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu during Wildlife Week 2024 to strengthen wildlife protection in the Trans-Himalayan region.
Forest department officials said the area stretches from the Yunam river and Chharap Nala confluence at 4,173 metres to the rugged state border with Ladakh, rising to altitudes above 5,900 metres. The region’s unique biodiversity and remoteness have made it a key ecological corridor connecting Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandratal Sanctuary, and Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary in Ladakh.
Officials emphasised that Tsarap Chu’s declaration as a conservation reserve will help maintain genetic connectivity among species and support the long-term survival of elusive predators like the snow leopard. The area also has the potential to emerge as an eco-tourism destination that balances conservation with sustainable local livelihoods.
