Tsarap Chu Conservation Reserve

Context

The Himachal Pradesh Government officially notified the Tsarap Chu Conservation Reserve under Section 36A(1) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. This makes it the largest conservation reserve in India and a major biodiversity landmark in the fragile and remote Spiti Valley.

About

Tsarap Chu is located in the Spiti Valley, a high-altitude cold desert in Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.
It lies near the border with Ladakh, and is surrounded by Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary to the east and Chandratal Wildlife Sanctuary to the west.
It is at the confluence of the Unam River and Charap Nala and also acts as the catchment area of the Charap Nala.
This area serves as a vital wildlife corridor, facilitating the movement of species between the Kibber and Chandratal
The reserve is rich in high-altitude Himalayan biodiversity, offering critical habitat to several rare and endangered species.
Flagship Species: Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia), Tibetan Wolf, Bharal (Blue Sheep), Himalayan Ibex, Kiang (Tibetan Wild Ass), and Tibetan Argali
Avifauna: Rare and adapted bird species include the Rose Finch, Tibetan Raven, and Yellow-billed Chough, which indicate the region’s ornithological richness.

Conservation Reserve

A Conservation Reserve is a category of protected area in India, created on government-owned land that lies outside existing National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
These areas serve as ecological corridors or buffer zones, enabling the movement of wildlife between larger protected areas, and are designated to conserve important habitats, landscapes, and biodiversity.
They are legally notified under Section 36A of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
They are managed through participatory approaches involving local communities, Panchayats, and conservation stakeholders.
The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, under Section 36A, allows states to declare any area (excluding national parks and sanctuaries) as a conservation reserve for:
- Protecting landscapes, habitats, flora and fauna,
- Maintaining biodiversity and ecological processes,
- Involving local communities in participatory conservation.
Tsarap Chu is now Himachal Pradesh’s fifth conservation reserve, joining: Darlaghat, Naina Devi, Potter Hill and Shilli.

National and Global Conservation Implications

India is a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and is committed to conserving 30% of its land and marine areas by 2030 under the “30 by 30” target. Such reserves contribute directly to this goal.
International organisations like WWF and Snow Leopard Trust consider the Himalayas and Trans-Himalayas as global priority landscapes for conservation.