Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary: Climbing Upwards Through Forests, Alpine Meadows, Grasslands, and Glaciers
Photo StoryPublished : May 08, 2024Updated : May 09, 2024
While much of the route to the Kedarnath Temple passes through the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and is frequented by pilgrims, a small proportion of visitors will find the journey more interesting than the destination
Text by: Tarun Menon
Photos by: Dhritiman Mukherjee
While much of the route to the Kedarnath Temple passes through the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and is frequented by pilgrims, a small proportion of visitors will find the journey more interesting than the destination
Situated amidst the mighty Himalayas, Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary personifies the title “devbhoomi” (God’s land) given to the state of Uttarakhand. With its extensive elevation gradient giving rise to a variety of habitats, Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary is extremely biodiverse and a haven for birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts. At 975 sq km, it is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the western Himalayas. It was initially set up in 1972 for the conservation of the endangered musk deer (Moschus leucogaster), which lives in this landscape, hence its alternate name, “Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary”. Making your way up the sanctuary, subtropical evergreen forests first greet you at around 1,000 m above sea level. At 1,500 m, you start to see broadleaf forests dominated first by banj oak (Quercus leucotrichophora) and kharsu oak (Quercus semecarpofolia) slightly higher up. Amidst the oak forests is rhododendron in its tree form (Rhododendron arboreum), locally known as buransh, and a variety of other shrubs like kaafal (Myrica esculenta) and angeri (Lyonia ovalifolia). Apart from the oak stands are forests dominated by chir pine (Pinus roxburgii). Moving further up into the alpine zone, one encounters conifers like deodar (Cedrus deodara) and fir (Abies pindrow). At around 3,000 m, forests start giving way to alpine meadows of rhododendron, juniper, other flowering shrubs, and grasslands, known locally as bugyals. Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary goes all the way up to 7,000 m above sea level, where vegetation gives way to rock and ice. The glaciers in the sanctuary’s upper reaches are important watersheds for several rivers like the Mandakini and Alakananda.
While the vast majority of the visitors who pass through Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary are likely to be on a Char Dham pilgrimage, the park also falls along popular trekking trails. Around Chopta, for instance, if you are lucky, you will spot colourful pheasants and mammals like tahr and martens.
For a birdwatcher and nature lover like me, Chopta, a small village nestled amidst evergreen forests and alpine meadows at the southern border of Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, is paradise. A popular trekking route is the one from Chopta to the Tungnath temple, which, in addition to being incredibly scenic, is one of the best places to spot pheasants, especially (1) the state bird of Uttarakhand. Words fail to do justice to this colourful bird, so I will let the reader admire the incredible photograph of the male Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus). Another pheasant most birdwatchers hope to see is the (2) koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha), which is quite a shy bird and admittedly more difficult to see than the monal. More often heard than seen, birdwatchers usually wake up before sunrise just to catch a glimpse of the bird at dawn when it is most active and likely to cross the road. (3) Then we have the kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos), one of the most common pheasants across the Himalayas, seen with relative ease when walking or driving through the sanctuary. It shows considerable variation in colouration based on where it is found. The prominent white crest seen in this photo of a male is unique to the population found in Uttarakhand and the western Himalayas.
Then we have our relatively smaller feathered friends, of which there are nearly 250 species in all sorts of colours, patterns, and habitats. Here are (1) the spotted forktail (Enicurus maculatus) and (2) the red-billed leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea), both of which are easy to spot in the sanctuary. Your best bet to seeing the former would be to look around fast-flowing forest streams where the forktail can be “spotted” turning pebbles and fallen leaves in search of aquatic insects. The red-billed leiothrix is usually seen in the thick undergrowth, flitting from bush to bush, rarely coming out into the open. However, on warm sunny days, if you wait patiently near small, shaded forest puddles, it may make an appearance and take a dip to cool off at this natural bird bath.
Trekking around Chopta, if one is lucky, some of the furry denizens of Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary may show themselves. This is one of the best places to spot (1) the majestic Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus), an endemic species closely related to goats. They show strong sexual dimorphism, with males having a full mane covering their forequarters and large backward curved horns; they also weigh almost twice as much as females. Although it is a common sight in the western Himalayas, watching (2) a yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula) is always exciting. These fierce, feisty, little predators always seem up to mischief, from raiding beehives, bird nests and even chicken coops to harassing dogs, cats, and wild predators double their size.
On clear days, there is a sense of comfort in trekking to Tungnath under the watchful gaze of Chaukhamba peak, standing impressively at a height of 7,138 m. As the spring rolls in towards the end of March and April, another sight to behold is the synchronised flowering of rhododendrons. (1) The tree rhododendrons seen here often paint the hillside forests in shades of red and pink.
Winters at high elevations are difficult environments in which to find food. The sudden glut of energy-rich nectar towards the end of the winter season is thoroughly welcomed by many species, irrespective of what their dietary tendencies are during the rest of the year. Insectivores, frugivores, granivores, and nectarivores can all be seen savouring the bounty. (2) This pollen-covered rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) is enjoying the sweet, sticky delicacy of springtime. However, since around 2010, across the western Himalayas, numerous reports indicate rhododendrons flowering as early as December and January. Scientists attribute this to warmer winters and increasingly erratic weather patterns associated with climate change. It is of particular concern how the many species that depend on the flowering of this resource and, critically, its timing will adapt to an earlier and more unpredictable flowering cycle.
Apart from Chaukhamba Peak, clear days reveal a whole suite of impressive snow-capped mountains. (1) Starting from the left is the eponymous Kedarnath peak and Kedarnath dome, followed by Sumeru Parbat and Khacharkund, and further right is Bhagirathi, Mandani Parbat, and Janhukut, which then joins the Chaukhamba peaks. (2) While marvelling at these peaks, you may encounter a massive bird of prey, the bearded vulture or the lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus) — a distinctive bird which, as its name suggests, has a small beard of blackish feathers at the base of its bill. It also has a diamond-shaped tail that makes it identifiable from great distances. An archaic name for the bird was “ossifrage”, which literally translates to “bone breaker”. These birds are famously known to drop animal bones from great heights to break them so they can feed on the bone marrow inside.
As evening descends upon the sanctuary, a well-kept secret is its vibrant nightlife. (1) Fairly common, yet difficult to spot, is the Himalayan civet or the masked palm civet (Paguma larvata). This arboreal civet is known to be largely omnivorous, feeding on insects, rodents, reptiles, birds, and fruits, making it an important seed disperser. (2) If lucky, a red giant flying squirrel (Petaurista petaurista) may briefly glide across the canopy using its outstretched patagium (skin fold between its limbs). Being a fully arboreal species that requires an intact canopy to travel, the major threats they face include logging and linear infrastructure (e.g. highways and high-tension wires), which can cause mortality and general loss in connectivity through the forest.
About the contributors
Tarun Menon
is an avid naturalist, birdwatcher and a PhD student at the Indian Institute of Science. His interests lie in understanding the behaviour and adaptations of mountain birds.
is one of India's most prolific wildlife and conservation photographers. His work has been featured in leading publications. He is also a RoundGlass Ambassador, and an RBS Earth Hero awardee.
