Concern over the "looming threat" to flora and fauna in the eco-sensitive Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary from helicopter operations to fly pilgrims to the religious shrine there was expressed by an e

The alpine musk deer, Moschus chrysogaster, a small member of family Moschidae, is a primitive deer threatened due to poaching and habitat loss, and therefore classified as Endangered by IUCN and also listed in Appendix I of CITES. Although the species is legally protected in India under Wildlife Protection Act 1972, conservation of the species requires better understanding of its distribution and resource-use pattern; therefore, a study on its feeding and habitat ecology was conducted from February 2011 to February 2014, at Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary.

The environment and forests ministry has asked Uttarakhand for a report on the damage caused to forests and wildlife by the floods.

“We have asked both the Uttarakhand government and Forest Survey of India to assess damage that may have been caused to forests due to massive flooding.

Extensive floristic surveys were carried out at Tungnath area in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary during 2007-2011. During the survey a total of 433 plant species belonging to 234 genera under 71 families were recorded along the sub-alpine and alpine region.

The present study was carried out in parts of a protected area of Garhwal Himalaya, namely, Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary (KWLS). The main aim of the study was to gather and analyze information from the sanctuary dwellers on conservation of natural resources and its value focusing on the needs of local inhabitants.

Out of seven species of Musk deer found in Asia, five are present in India. One of these species, the Alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster), is found in Uttrakhand Himalayas, is endangered (IUCN 2011) and listed in Appendix I of CITES. This species is also listed in Schedule I of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. The species has been exploited for its „Musk‟ for centuries and due to large scale poaching and extensive habitat destruction, it is restricted to a few isolated pockets in the Himalayas.

A study was conducted to estimate soil organic pool (SOC) in three land uses viz. forests, horticulture and grasslands in Chamoli district.

The study reports the impact of migratory livestock in the buffer area of Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. The cumulative impacts of livestock grazing, fuel wood extraction and other anthropogenic pressures on forest cover in and around camping sites have been analyzed using satellite data and field observations.

A study was conducted to document spider diversity in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Chamoli District, Uttarakhand. The area is dense forest of Chir Pine, Oak, Birch and Rhododendrons.

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