An affluent wildlife is the highlight of the verdant green state of Uttarakhand. What seem to be the dense forests of Oak and Deodar are actually, the homeland to varied number of recognizable and unknown trees and plants. Mostly habituated by innumerable wild species of animals of which Tiger is most prominent, the state is certainly amongst the finest places for wildlife tourism in India. The state also boasts a high number of birds that nest in varied trees and with their sweet chirps add melody to the surreal ambiance. The alpine meadows though seem isolated are an essential piece of the rich and diverse wildlife of Uttarakhand.
There are as many as 12 National Park and Wildlife Sanctuaries in Uttarakhand that covers about 13.8% of the total area. Lay sprawled in the lowlands with maximum altitude of 800m and in highlands at an elevation of 5400m, the various parks and sanctuaries are indeed the haven for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts alike. The state has two Conservation Reserves - The Asan Barrage and Jhilmil Tal and two World Heritage Sites Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve and Valley of Flowers National Park.
Major wildlife species witnessed in the state include - Tiger, Deer, Sloth bear, Black bear, Indian Elephant, Leopard, Jungle Cat, Rhesus Monkey, Langur, Ghoral (goat antelopes), Wild Dog, Common Otter, Porcupine, Python, King Cobra and a variety of resident and migratory bird species.
Uttarakhand is proud proprietor of India’s Oldest National Park, Corbett, which is also the oldest Tiger Reserve. Another prominent national park in Uttarakhand is Valley of Flowers, which is known for its extensive seasonal flower blooming. The park is the part of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve and is home to 300 species of flowering plants and several rare and endangered wild animal species like Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, musk deer, brown bear, red fox, and blue sheep. Apart from these wildlife reserves, Binog Wildlife Sanctuary, Govind Pashu Vihar National Park, Askot wildlife Sanctuary, Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary, Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary and Gangotri National Park cordially invite an avid nature lovers, photographers, travelers, adventurers and wildlife lovers from across the country as well as the world.