Tsomoriri
Encyclopedia
Tsomoriri or Lake Moriri (official name: Tsomoriri Wetland Conservation Reserve), in the Changthang
(literal meaning, northern plains) area, is a High Altitude Lake (HAL) with an altitude of 4595 m (15,075.5 ft) in Ladakh
, India
and is the largest of the High Altitude Lakes in the Trans-Himalayan biogeographic region, entirely within India
. It is hemmed between Ladakh
in the North and Tibet
in the east and Zanskar
in the west; the Changthang plateau is the geographical setting with snow peaks that provides the source of water for the Lake. Accessibility to the lake is limited to summer season only. Tsokar means salty lake in local language and salt was extracted from this lake in earlier times, till the end of 1959, for consumption by the local people.
It is oligotrophic in nature and its waters are alkaline. The lake formerly had an outlet to the south, but it has contracted considerably and has become land locked; as a result; the water is now brackish to saline. The lake is fed by springs and snow-melt in two major stream systems, one entering the lake from the north, the other from the southwest. Both stream systems create extensive marshes where they enter the lake.
The Changthang plateau in the eastern Ladakh represents a landscape of low productive Ecosystems which protects unique floral and faunal species.The area is an extension of the western Tibetan plateau
that lies above 4500 m (14,763.8 ft) msl and supports diverse but low populations of several globally threatened mammals. The Lake's basin could also be categorised as an endorheic
basin since it is a closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans.
The lake is surrounded by the elevated valley of Rupshu
with hills rising to 6000 m (19,685 ft). “Changpas", the nomadic migratory shepherds (pastoral community) of yak
, sheep, goat
, and horses of Tibet
an origin and who are engaged in trade and work on caravans in Ladakh
region, are the main inhabitants of the area. Changpa herders use the land of this valley as grazing ground and for cultivation.
The Working Report (2006) of the Planning Commission of the Government of India
also reports:
The Korzok Monastery
, on the western bank of the lake is 400 years old and attracts tourists and Buddhist pilgrims. Tourism during May – September attracts large number of foreign and local tourists even though tented accommodation is the facility available, apart from a small PWD guest house close to the Lake.
conditions prevail in the lake region; with summer temperature varying from 0 ° to 30 °C (32 °-86 °F) and winter temperature recording −10 ° and −40 °C (14 ° to -40 °F). Geologically the lake is in the Cambrian
/Pre-Cambrian terrain.
An avifaunal survey of the Lake and its adjoining Nuro Sumdo wetland conducted in July 1996 revealed the following facts:
. The justification could be summarized as:
Tsomoriri is an administratively declared Wetland
Reserve. Legally, shooting wildlife
is prohibited. The State Department of Wildlife has set up a check post near Mahe Bridge at the entrance towards the lake.
WWF-India Project has established a field office at Korzok in Rupshu
near Tsomoriri for ‘Conservation of High Altitude Wetlands in Ladakh Region’ to carry out surveys, interact with tourists, tour guides, act as information centre and conduct education awareness programmes for locals, tourists etc.
Wildlife Institute of India has also set up a field station at Leh to carry out scientific research in the region. Nature clubs have been set up and Information booklet on the lake published. Efforts of WWF – India has also resulted in the local community declaring Tsomoriri as a ‘Sacred Gift for a Living Planet’ during the Annual Conference held in Nepal in November 2000.
Some of the other achievements so far reported on the Lake’s conservation are:
The Indian Army
has committed to support and set up a Nature Interpretation Centre at 'Hall of Fame', Leh.
Changthang
The Changtang is a high altitude plateau in western and northern Tibet extending into southeastern Ladakh, with vast highlands and giant lakes. From Eastern Ladakh Changtang stretches approximately 1600 km east into Tibet, as far as the state of Qinghai. All of it is geographically part of...
(literal meaning, northern plains) area, is a High Altitude Lake (HAL) with an altitude of 4595 m (15,075.5 ft) in Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and is the largest of the High Altitude Lakes in the Trans-Himalayan biogeographic region, entirely within India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is hemmed between Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
in the North and Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
in the east and Zanskar
Zanskar
Zanskar is a subdistrict or tehsil of the Kargil district, which lies in the eastern half of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The administrative centre is Padum...
in the west; the Changthang plateau is the geographical setting with snow peaks that provides the source of water for the Lake. Accessibility to the lake is limited to summer season only. Tsokar means salty lake in local language and salt was extracted from this lake in earlier times, till the end of 1959, for consumption by the local people.
It is oligotrophic in nature and its waters are alkaline. The lake formerly had an outlet to the south, but it has contracted considerably and has become land locked; as a result; the water is now brackish to saline. The lake is fed by springs and snow-melt in two major stream systems, one entering the lake from the north, the other from the southwest. Both stream systems create extensive marshes where they enter the lake.
Topography
As per a classification of the Himalayan Lakes done on the basis of their origin, there are four groups and Tsomoriri falls under the third group of “Remnant Lakes". The classification as reported states:
(i) Glacial lakes which are formed in and around glaciers; (ii) Structural lakes, formed by folds or faults due to movements in earth’s crust (e.g. Nainital lake in Uttaranchal), (iii) Remnant lakes which were originally structural but represent the remnants of vast lakes (e.g., Tsomoriri, Tso Kar, Pangong TsoPangong TsoPangong Tso is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about . It is long and extends from India to Tibet. 60% of the length of the lake lies in China. The lake is wide at its broadest point...
in LadakhLadakhLadakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
, and Dal LakeDal LakeDal Lake is a lake in Srinagar, the summer capital of the northernmost Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The urban lake, which is the second largest in the state, is integral to tourism and recreation in Kashmir and is nicknamed the "Jewel in the crown of Kashmir" or "Srinagar's Jewel"...
in KashmirKashmirKashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
), (iv) Natural dammed lakes i.e., temporary water bodies formed along the river courses due to deposition of rocks or debris e.g. Gohna Tal in GarhwalGarhwal DivisionGarhwal is the north-western region and administrative division of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand which is home to the Garhwali people. Lying in the Himalayas, It is bounded on the north by Tibet, on the east by Kumaon region, on the south by Uttar Pradesh state, and on the north-west by...
, Uttaranchal.
The Changthang plateau in the eastern Ladakh represents a landscape of low productive Ecosystems which protects unique floral and faunal species.The area is an extension of the western Tibetan plateau
Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau , also known as the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau is a vast, elevated plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai, in addition to smaller portions of western Sichuan, southwestern Gansu, and northern Yunnan in Western China and Ladakh in...
that lies above 4500 m (14,763.8 ft) msl and supports diverse but low populations of several globally threatened mammals. The Lake's basin could also be categorised as an endorheic
Endorheic
An endorheic basin is a closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans...
basin since it is a closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans.
Rupshu
Rupshu is a valley in southeast Ladakh, on the Leh-Manali highway. The altitude of the valley is between 4,500 and 5,500 metres. It is inhabited by the Changpa nomads.- External links :* published in The Statesman, 16 June 2004....
with hills rising to 6000 m (19,685 ft). “Changpas", the nomadic migratory shepherds (pastoral community) of yak
Yak
The yak, Bos grunniens or Bos mutus, is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. In addition to a large domestic population, there is a small, vulnerable wild yak population...
, sheep, goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
, and horses of Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an origin and who are engaged in trade and work on caravans in Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
region, are the main inhabitants of the area. Changpa herders use the land of this valley as grazing ground and for cultivation.
The Working Report (2006) of the Planning Commission of the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
also reports:
Despite a poor vegetation cover, relatively low standing biomass and high anthropogenic pressure, this area sustains a considerably high livestock population. Steady increase in the livestock population in the area is mainly attributed to influx of nomadic herders from Tibet during recent decades and promotion of Pashmina goat production by the Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) for fine quality under wool (PashminaPashminaPashmina refers to a type of fine cashmere wool and the textiles made from it. The name comes from Pashmineh , made from Persian pashm . The wool comes from changthangi or pashmina goat, which is a special breed of goat indigenous to high altitudes of the Himalayas in Nepal, Pakistan and northern...
). The herders and AHD officials, in recent years have begun to raise concern over degradation of pastures, resultant shortage of forage, and mass mortality of livestock during severe winters.
The Korzok Monastery
Korzok Monastery
Korzok, also known as Karzok or Kurzok, is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery belonging to the Drukpa Lineage and ancient village on the western bank of Tsomoriri Lake in Leh District, Ladakh, India. Korzok, situated at , houses a Shakyamuni Buddha and other statues. It is home to about 35 monks.In the...
, on the western bank of the lake is 400 years old and attracts tourists and Buddhist pilgrims. Tourism during May – September attracts large number of foreign and local tourists even though tented accommodation is the facility available, apart from a small PWD guest house close to the Lake.
Access
The lake is located to the Southeast of Leh in Eastern Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, at a road distance of 215 kilometres (133.6 mi). Leh is also connected by Air with many destinations in India.Hydrology and water quality
The Lake, draining a catchment area of 120 km² (46.3 sq mi) is enclosed by rolling hills of the Tibetan cold desert on the western side with steep hills and by the Pare Chu, which flows on the southern side. Another wetland, the Nuro Sumdo (with a catchment area of 20 km² (7.7 sq mi)), lies between Tsomoriri in the north, and the Pare Chu in the south, a bog which drains into the Pare Chu. Several small mountain streams feed the Lake notably through pasture land at Peldo Le. The lake is fed by springs and snow melt and has a maximum depth of 40 m (131.2 ft). Aridity and cold desertDesert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
conditions prevail in the lake region; with summer temperature varying from 0 ° to 30 °C (32 °-86 °F) and winter temperature recording −10 ° and −40 °C (14 ° to -40 °F). Geologically the lake is in the Cambrian
Cambrian
The Cambrian is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, lasting from Mya ; it is succeeded by the Ordovician. Its subdivisions, and indeed its base, are somewhat in flux. The period was established by Adam Sedgwick, who named it after Cambria, the Latin name for Wales, where Britain's...
/Pre-Cambrian terrain.
Avifauna and flora
- Thirty-four species of birds included 14 species of water birds (some are pictured in the gallery) of which following are the vulnerable species
- Black-necked CraneBlack-necked CraneThe Black-necked Crane is a medium-sized crane that is found on the Tibetan Plateau of Asia. It is 139 cm long with a 235 cm wingspan, and it weighs 5.5 kg . It is whitish-gray, with a black head, red crown patch, black upper neck and legs, and white patch to the rear of the eye...
s (Grus nigricollis) endangered. - Bar-headed GeeseBar-headed GooseThe Bar-headed Goose is a goose which breeds in Central Asia in colonies of thousands near mountain lakes and winters in South Asia, as far south as peninsular India. It lays three to eight eggs at a time in a ground nest....
(Anser indicus)– only breeding ground in India - Brown-headed GullBrown-headed GullThe Brown-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus, is a small gull which breeds in the high plateaus of central Asia from Turkmenistan to Mongolia. It is migratory, wintering on the coasts and large inland lakes of tropical southern Asia...
s (Larus brunnicephalus) - Great Crested GrebeGreat Crested GrebeThe Great Crested Grebe is a member of the grebe family of water birds.- Description :The Great Crested Grebe is long with a wingspan. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations...
(Podiceps cristatus) (rare) - Ferruginous Pochard
- Black-necked GrebeBlack-necked GrebeThe Black-necked Grebe, Podiceps nigricollis, known in North America as the Eared Grebe, is a member of the grebe family of water birds. It occurs on every continent except Australia and Antarctica.-Taxonomy:There are three subspecies:*P. n...
Podiceps nigricollis (rare) - Tibetan gazelle, Procapra picticaudata, Goa antelope (threatened)
- Ovis ammon hogdsoni (ArgaliArgaliThe argali, or the mountain sheep is a wild sheep, which roams the highlands of Central Asia . It is the biggest wild sheep, standing at the shoulder, measuring long and weighing , with a maximum known weight of...
)(Vul) - LynxLynxA lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
- Black-necked Crane
Mammalian fauna
- Nayan Ovis ammon hodgsoni
- BharalBharalThe bharal or Himalayan blue sheep or naur, Pseudois nayaur, is a caprid found in the high Himalayas of Nepal, Tibet, China, India, Pakistan, and Bhutan...
(Pseudois nayaurr) Himalayan blue sheep - Tibetan Ass (KiangKiangThe kiang is the largest of the wild asses. It is native to the Tibetan Plateau, where it inhabits montane and alpine grasslands. Its current range is restricted to Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, plains of the Tibetan plateau and northern Nepal along the Tibetan border...
) or Equus kiang, endemic to the Tibetan PlateauTibetan PlateauThe Tibetan Plateau , also known as the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau is a vast, elevated plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai, in addition to smaller portions of western Sichuan, southwestern Gansu, and northern Yunnan in Western China and Ladakh in... - Great Tibetan Sheep
- One species of marmotMarmotThe marmots are a genus, Marmota, of squirrels. There are 14 species in this genus.Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, northern Apennines, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, Tatras, and Pyrenees in...
, Marmota himalayana in large numbers seen on the hill slopes surrounding the lake and also along the roadsides - One species of hareHareHares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus. Hares less than one year old are called leverets. Four species commonly known as types of hare are classified outside of Lepus: the hispid hare , and three species known as red rock hares .Hares are very fast-moving...
, LepusLepusLepus is the genus of hares.Lepus may also be:* Lepus , a group of stars* Arieşeni, a commune in Romania* Lepus-the story of a hare, a book by D.Brian Plummer...
oistolus - One species of voleVoleA vole is a small rodent resembling a mouse but with a stouter body, a shorter hairy tail, a slightly rounder head, smaller ears and eyes, and differently formed molars . There are approximately 155 species of voles. They are sometimes known as meadow mice or field mice in North America...
, Alticola roylei - Three species of mouse hares, Ochotona macrotis, Ochotona curzoniae or Tibetan Sand Fox and Scincella ladacensisScincella ladacensisLadakh Ground Skink Scincella ladacensis is a species of skink.Distribution:China [Scincella ladacensis ladacensis]N Pakistan, W Himalaya India W Nepal-External links:...
Large carnivores fauna
- Carnivores faunaFaunaFauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
reported are:- the Snow LeopardSnow LeopardThe snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
(Uncia uncial) - the Tibetan Grey Wolf (Canilupus chanku)
- the Snow Leopard
Vegetation
While the deeper parts of the lake have no vegetation, the shallow areas are reported to have Potamogeton sps. Marshes have several species of sedges and reeds, particularly Carex, Caragana and Astragalus sps., which are all representative of the surrounding arid steppe vegetation. Details of the Vegetation recorded in the area comprises the following:- Characteristic CaraganaCaraganaCaragana is a genus of about 80 species of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, native to Asia and eastern Europe.They are shrubs or small trees growing 1-6 m tall...
and AstragalusAstragalusAstragalus is a large genus of about 3,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, belonging to the legume family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
species - PotamogetonPotamogetonPotamogeton is a genus of aquatic, mostly freshwater, plants of the family Potamogetonaceae. Most are known by the common name pondweed, although many unrelated plants may be called pondweed, such as Canadian pondweed...
species - Several species of CarexCarexCarex is a genus of plants in the family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges. Other members of the Cyperaceae family are also called sedges, however those of genus Carex may be called "true" sedges, and it is the most species-rich genus in the family. The study of Carex is known as...
, PrimulaPrimulaPrimula is a genus of 400–500 species of low-growing herbs in the family Primulaceae. They include primrose, auricula, cowslip and oxlip. Many species are grown for their ornamental flowers...
(low growing herb), and Pedicularis(parasite plant) - Common species of JuncusJuncusJuncus is a genus in the plant family Juncaceae. It consists of some 200 to 300 or more species of grassy plants commonly called rushes...
thomsonii and LeontopodiumLeontopodiumLeontopodium is a genus of plants in the daisy family, which includes edelweiss , a well-known plant from the mountains of Europe. The term edelweiss can, more rarely, refer to other members of the genus...
sp - Phytoplankton species of OocystisOocystisIn taxonomy, Oocystis is a genus of algae, specifically of the Oocystaceae.-Scientific databases:* * *...
with density was 900 cells/L to a depth of 25 m (82 ft). Specimens of the diatomDiatomDiatoms are a major group of algae, and are one of the most common types of phytoplankton. Most diatoms are unicellular, although they can exist as colonies in the shape of filaments or ribbons , fans , zigzags , or stellate colonies . Diatoms are producers within the food chain...
Cyclotella also recorded. - Pastures for domestic livestock
Ramsar site
Largely based on the ecological diversity of the Lake (explained in the previous section) and its surroundings, the Tsomiriri was notified in November 2002 under the List of Ramsar Wetland sites under the Ramsar ConventionRamsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
. The justification could be summarized as:
- The faunal collection is unique and has a large variety with endemic and vulnerable species
- The herbivore species are also endemic to the region
- The lake plays a fundamental role as breeding grounds and key staging posts on migration routes for several water birds belonging to six families, which is distinctive of wetland diversity and productivity
Threats to the lake
There are a number of threats to the Lake, such as:- Increase in the number of tourists visiting the lake affects breeding of avi fauna
- Construction of a road right up to the Lake
- Pasture degradation affecting wildlife, particularly wild herbivores (marmots, hares, ungulates)
- An increase in the grazing of Sheep in the wetlands surrounding the Lake
- The absence of a proper garbage disposal Facility at the Lake.
- Dogs kept by the people who live near the lake are known to attack the cranes and destroy their eggs.
- Jeep safaris have been known to chase wildlife such as KiangKiangThe kiang is the largest of the wild asses. It is native to the Tibetan Plateau, where it inhabits montane and alpine grasslands. Its current range is restricted to Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, plains of the Tibetan plateau and northern Nepal along the Tibetan border...
and approach close to the breeding ground. - Lack of regulations and monitoring by the government.
Conservation efforts
The need for evolving a strategy and an action plan to preserve the extreme fragility of the lake ecosystem has been recognized with the needed emphasis at the National and International level to develop the lake conservation activity with participation of all stakeholders. The actions initiated in this direction are:Tsomoriri is an administratively declared Wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
Reserve. Legally, shooting wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
is prohibited. The State Department of Wildlife has set up a check post near Mahe Bridge at the entrance towards the lake.
WWF-India Project has established a field office at Korzok in Rupshu
Rupshu
Rupshu is a valley in southeast Ladakh, on the Leh-Manali highway. The altitude of the valley is between 4,500 and 5,500 metres. It is inhabited by the Changpa nomads.- External links :* published in The Statesman, 16 June 2004....
near Tsomoriri for ‘Conservation of High Altitude Wetlands in Ladakh Region’ to carry out surveys, interact with tourists, tour guides, act as information centre and conduct education awareness programmes for locals, tourists etc.
Wildlife Institute of India has also set up a field station at Leh to carry out scientific research in the region. Nature clubs have been set up and Information booklet on the lake published. Efforts of WWF – India has also resulted in the local community declaring Tsomoriri as a ‘Sacred Gift for a Living Planet’ during the Annual Conference held in Nepal in November 2000.
Some of the other achievements so far reported on the Lake’s conservation are:
- Regulation in consultation with local community Vehicular traffic flow and parking has been restructured with restriction of camping sites around the lake
- The Indo Tibetan Border Petrol (ITBP), tour operators and local population have introduced regular garbage clean up operations
- Korzok community living around the lake has voluntarily built traditional and social fencing around the wetland to protect breeding and feeding grounds from vehicular traffic
- Tsomoriri Conservation Trust has been set up.
- Twenty Nature Clubs have been registered in different schools in Ladakh
The Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
has committed to support and set up a Nature Interpretation Centre at 'Hall of Fame', Leh.
World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) role
World Wildlife Fund for Nature — India (WWF-India) is spearheading the efforts at conservation of the Tsomoriri lake in particular, and the Ladakh region in general. WWF’s activities as a NGO have spanned more than 30 years. The main objective set by WWF is the main activities planned for the Tsomoriri and other wetlands in Ladakh regions are:
The Promotion of Nature Conservation and Environmental Protection as the Basis for Sustainable and Equitable Development.
- Evolve plan to establish a Sustainable Tourism Model managed by Local Communities at Tsomoriri
- Carry on with the biological and socio-economic surveys around selected wetlands and document for future reference
- Organize capacity building training programmes for Tour operators, Army, Teachers and local communities
- Frequent education and awareness Programmes for various target groups
- Management Planning for Tsomoriri and also Tsokar and Pangong Tso lakes by involving major stakeholders
- To set guidelines for introducing Eco-Tourism Certification Scheme in Ladakh
- To mobilise financial resources to carry out a comprehensive Strategic Environment Assessment
- Develop Environmental Management Systems, implement and certify the Environment Management Systems with special focus on tourism sector
- Maintain and enhance existing field presence at Tsomoriri, Leh, and Tsokar and increase presence at Chushul and Hanle marshes as well to achieve better results
External links
- Tso Moriri Travel Guide
- Himalayan Jeep Safari : Manali - Tso-Morari - Leh
- Government of Jammu & Kashmir, Department of Wildlife Protection, Wildlife Division (LAHDC), Leh Ladakh (Undated): Tsomoriri Wetland Conservation Reserve (The Wildlife Guide)
- Rizvi, J. (1996) Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, India
- Travel Article on Tso Moriri