Why in the news?

  • Multiple key defence infrastructure projects have been sanctioned within the Changthang Cold Desert and Karakoram (Nubra–Shayok) Wildlife Sanctuaries in Ladakh.

Changthang Cold Desert Sanctuary

  • Location: Lodakh(Union Territory), in the Changthang Plateau.
  • Features:
    • Altitude: Lies at an altitude of 4,000–9,000 m (one of world hughes wildlife sanrury)
    • Associated Wetlands: Tso Moriri, Tso Kar, and Pangong Tso lakes.
  • Biodiversity:
    • Represents the Trans-Himalayan biogeographic zone.
    • Major Fauna: Mammals like the snow leopard, Tibetan argali (Nyan), Tibetan gazelle, woolly hare, and Tibetan wolf.
    • Flora: Cold-arid shrubs and grasses like Caragana, Artemisia, and Kobresia
  • Pastoral Community: Changpa Tribe

Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary

  • Location: 
    • Ladakh, near the Siachen Glacier and Karakoram Range.
    • Lies north of the Nubra Valley and contiguous with Central Karakoram National Park (Pakistan) across the LoC.
  • Geography
    • Altitude:  3,500–7,000 m (One of India’s northernmost protected areas)
    • Associated Mountain Range: Karakoram Range.
    • Associated Rivers: Source region for major rivers (e.g., Shyok, Nubra).
  • Biodiversity
    • Flora: Sparse alpine vegetation.
    • Fauna: Mammals like Snow leopard, Tibetan wolf, Himalayan brown bear, Eurasian lynx, blue sheep (bharal), Asiatic ibex as well as Birds like Himalayan snowcock, golden eagle, lammergeier.