The state of Uttarakhand is located in the northern part of India. It has some of the holiest Hindu shrines, rivers, temples, monuments, hill stations, mountain peaks, etc. They have made Uttarakhand one of the famous tourist destinations of India. Apart from the above mentioned attractions, Uttarakhand also has a number of National Parks. These National Parks are described below.
Jim Corbett National Park
Jim Corbett National Park is located in Nainital, along the banks of the River Ramganga. It was established in the year 1936. This national park is spread over an area of about 1,318.54 square kilometers. Some of the occupants of this park are plants, sal trees, bamboos, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, dragonflies and animals.
Rajaji National Park
Rajaji National Park is located along the hills and foothills of Shivalik ranges in the Himalayan foothills. It was established in the year 1983. This national park is spread over an area of about 820.42 square kilometers (202,630 acres). Some of the inmates of this park are broadleaved deciduous forests, pine forests, riverine vegetation, grasslands, Indian elephants and blue bull.
Nanda Devi National Park
Nanda Devi National Park is situated around the peak of Nanda Devi. It was established in the year 1982 and occupies an area of about 630.33 square kilometers. Fir, birch, rhododendron and juniper are the main flora of this park. Himalayan musk deer, mainland serow and Himalayan tahr, etc comprise the fauna of this park.
Gangotri National Park
Gangotri National Park is located in Uttarkashi district. It is spread over an area of about 2,390 square kilometers. Western Himalayan Alpine Shrub, meadows, oak, rhododendrons, etc comprise the flora of this park. About 15 species of mammals and 150 bird species have been recorded in this park.
Valley of Flowers National Park
Valley of Flowers National Park is situated in Chamoli district. It was declared a national park in the year 1982. This valley is spread over an area of about 87.5 square kilometers. This valley is known to have the largest potpourri of wild flower species. Some of the animals preserved in the park are common leopard, red fox, flying squirrel and blue sheep.
Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Sanctuary
This national park is located in the higher reaches of Garhwal Himalayas. It was established on 1st of March, 1955. This national park is spread over an area of about 958 square kilometers. This park is occupied by western Himalayan broadleaf forests, western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests, common leopard, hedgehog, Himalayan tahr, etc.