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(HARC), Solan
(HARC), Solan
(HARC), Solan
The High Altitude Regional Centre was established in September 1968, under the fourth Five-year plan of the Government of India to explore the faunal diversity of North Western Himalaya. The jurisdiction of the Centre is spread over 2,77,909 sq.km. comprising of mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh, and Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh under North Western Himalayan ecosystem. Owing to vast altitudinal variation from 350m to 6,500m ASL (above sea level), it covers all the four physiographical zones of the Himalaya viz. Shiwalik, Lesser, Great and Trans Himalaya. Since its inception, the Centre has conducted (approx.) 400 extensive and 650 intensive surveys in different Himalayan ranges. The area includes 11 National Parks, 41 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 37 Conservation Reserves, 01 Biosphere Reserve and 07 Ramsar sites. The National Zoological Collection of Centre include (Vertebrate and Invertebrate) 44,047 identified specimens. The scientists of the Centre have published 28 documents/Memoirs Occasional papers, Ecosystem studies, Conservation areas etc. and more than 500 research papers in various National and International journals. HARC has National Himalayan Faunal Museum that exhibits rare and endemic fauna of North-West Himalaya. The “Himalayan Faunal Repository” at the Centre was inaugurated in 2020. The Centre also an active Molecular and Systematic laboratory for DNA studies that was inaugurated in April 2022.
- Major Programmes Undertaken
- Area Surveyed
- NZC
- Achievements
- Training and Extension
- Taxonomic Expertise
- Modern Infrastructure
- Staff
- Faunal Resources of Renuka Wetland
- Faunal Resources of Pong Dam Wetland
- Faunal Resources of Cold Desert, Ladakh.
- Status survey of Endangered Species: Western Tragopan
- Faunal Resources of Western Himalaya (Himachal Pradesh)
- Faunal Resources of Pin Valley National Park, Lahaul & Spiti (Himachal Pradesh)
- Status of Kiang in Eastern Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, India
- Status of Himalayan Marmot in Eastern Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, India
- Faunal Resources of Simbalbara Wildlife Sanctuary, district Sirmour
- Faunal Resources of Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary, district Sirmour
- Faunal Resources of Pangi Valley, district Chamba
- Faunal Resources of Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary, district Chamba
- Faunal Resources of Cold Deserts of Spiti Valley and Chandertal Lake, district Lahaul & Spiti
- Faunal Resources of Chail Wildlife Sanctuary, district Solan
- Faunal Resources of Sangla Valley, district Kinnaur
- Faunal Resources of Sainj Wildlife Sanctuary, district Kullu
Chail Wild Life sanctuary Kalatop Wild Life Sanctuary
Extensive Surveys undertaken in the various Himalayan Ecosystem are:
- Wetland Ecosystem: Renuka Lake, Govind Sagar Dam, Pong Dam, Chandertal Lake, Tsomoriri and Pangong Tso.
- Protected Areas of Himachal Pradesh: Pin Valley National Park, Simbalbara Wildlife Sanctuary, Pong Dam Sanctuary, Kalatop–Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary, Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary, Chail Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Himalyan Ecosystem: Remote Area of Pangi Valley, which is an inaccessible area sandwiched between Pir Panjal and Zanksar range has been explored for the first time.
- Trans Himalayan Ecosystem: Ladakh (J.& K.) (3200 to 5379 m asl) along with various localities in the Indus, Zanskar & Nubra valley and Spiti Valley, district Lahaul & Spiti (H.P.) comprising various alpine habitats (3280 to 5500m asl) has been surveyed to innventorize the faunal wealth of the cold deserts.
Chandertal Lake Pangi valley
Tsomorari Brackish Water Lake Landscape of Ladakh
The National Zoological Collections maintained at the Centre contain 27,567 identified specimens including both invertebrates and vertebrates. The collection also includes 334 specimens of type material.
Insect Storage Box
Museum
The museum of the Centre exhibits representative fauna of the North West Himalaya (Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir) in various showcashes. The LED frames with landscape and fauna of Himalyan Ecosystem has been displayed at the Natural History Museum of the Centre for generating awareness and interest towards biodiversity and conservation among children and general public. The Faunal Himalayan Repository Building has been sanctioned for the Centre and it will be one of its unique kinds in North India.
New Species/ New Records
Scientists of the Centre have described 12 genera and 50 species (termatode, earthworms and insects) as new to the science in addition to report of 11 species (earthworms and insects) being first record from India.
Status Survey
The status survey of the High altitude Mammals viz. Western Tragopan in India, Kiang Equus kiang in Eastern Ladakh, India, Himalayan Marmot Marmota Himalayan in Eastern Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, India have been undertaken from the Centre.
Surveys
The inventorization of the fauna of the cold deserts of Pin Valley National Park and surroundings, Chandratal and Kibber Wildlife Sancturary, which is the 16th Biosphere Reserve in India included in the World Network of Biosphere recognized by UNESCO-Man and Biosphere Programme.
Environment Impact assessment Studies
Centre has carried out Environment Impact Assessment studies (EIA) of the Salal Dam Project on Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, and Beas Satluj Link Project in Himachal Pradesh.
Himalayan Marmot in Ladakh Tibetan Ass (Kiang) in Ladakh
The taxonomic expertise on Mammals, Birds, Fishes, insects (Lepidoptera, Orthoptera) and earthworms are available presently at the Centre.
Blue Sheep Snow Pigeon
Paranassius charltonius Black necked Crane
Locust Mahseer
The Centre is equipped with Compact Insect Storage System. The major recent additions to the Centre includes Leica 205A automated stereomicroscope with attached high definition CCD camera and montage software and Advanced Research Microscope along with high speed (XT Core 3- Jenptic Germany) camera.
Leica 205A automated Stereomicroscope