Nature Parks Of Himachal Pradesh
Great Himalayan National Park:
The National Park with an area of 754 Sq. Km. is located in Kullu District and has the representative area of temperate and alpine forests of Himachal. It has some of the virgin coniferous forests of the state. Vast areas of alpine pastures and glaciers cap this park. This area has many important wildlife species of Western Himalayas like the musk deer, brown bear, goral, thar, leopard, snow leopard, bharal, serow, monal, kalij, koklas, cheer, tragopan, snow cock etc. Trekking of Rakti-Sar, origin of Sainj river and camping in alpine pastures is unforgettable. Similar is the trekking route to Tirath, the origin of Tirthan river. Visitors can contact the Director, Great Himalayan National Park at Shamshi or Range Officer wildlife at Sainj or Range Officer Wild Life at Sai Ropa (Banjar) for assistance and guidance. Camping equipment and guides are provided by the Forest Department. For more details, visit Great Himalayan National Park website
For more details, visit Great Himalayan National Park website.
Pin Vally National Park :
This National Park is situated in the cold desert Ibex of Spiti Valley. In this area visitors come across large herds of Ibex and Bharal. Snow leopard is found in this park. This area can be visited only by those who have tough leg muscles and strong lungs. Visitors can contact Divisional Forest Officer Wildlife Division Sarahan, Assistant Conservator of Forest Wildlife Kaza or Range Officer Wildlife Tabo for information about the park. The area is closed to foreign visitors. Indian visitors are also required to obtain a permit for entry from Deputy Commissioner, Shimla or Sub Divisional Magistrate, Rampur.
Gopalpur Nature Park:
Gopalpur is a village situated near Palampur on the Palampur-Dharamsala upper road. Kangra valley in Himachal Pradesh is another area where visitors come regularly. In this nature park, animals are kept in large enclosures and conservation messages are conveyed to the visitors through audio-visual aids.
Manali Nature Park:
Manali is another tourist spot attracting large number of visitors. To expose visitors to the nature and to create awareness and love for wild life it is planned to develop many other facilities at Manali. There is a wild life sanctuary about 2 Km away from Manali town.
The tourists will be encouraged to visit this area and see the magnificence of nature here.
Kufri Nature Park:
Kufri is a well known tourist resort near Shimla. A large number of tourists visiting Shimla also visit Kufri where a nature park has been established. In this park, rare varieties of Hangal, Barking Deer, Musk Deer, Brown Bear, rare species of Monal and other pheasants are kept in social groupings.
Suketi Fossil Park:
Suketi Fossil Park displays life size fiberglass model of pre-historic animals whose fossils and skeletons were unearthed here. The park is first of its kind in Asia to be developed at the actual site where fossils were discovered. At a distance of 21 Km from Nahan, the Suketi Fossil Park is located on the bank of Markanda river and is approachable by a link road 4 Km from Kala-Amb from Haryana. Located on upper and middle Shiwaliks, consisting mainly of soft sandstone and clay rocks, the park at present has six sets of life-size models of Stegodonganesa (extinct grand elephant) Sivatherium, Hexaprotodon-Sivalensis (hippopotamus with six incisors), Colosschelys Atlas (giant land tortoise and chelonia), Paramachaerdus (Sabre Toothed tiger) and Crocodilia, the animals which once thrived in the region.
The Shiwalik formations contain one of the world's richest collections of mammalian fossils. From a study of these fossils, it has been possible for the palaeontologists to probe into the mysteries of evolution of prehistoric life and the climate and environment of these periods which go back to the Jurassic era, nearly 8.5 million years ago. The Shiwalik deposits are unsurpassed in the world for the richness of the fauna they entomb.
The other major attraction is the Museum which contains various fossils, models, charts and paintings relating to the various aspects of plants and animals life of the past and present in Shiwalik range.