Jammu & Kashmir is rich in flora and fauna. In Jammu, the flora ranges from the thorn bush type of the arid plain, to the temperate and alpine flora of the higher altitudes. Of the broad-leaf trees, there are maple, silver fir, horse chestnuts, etc, and at the higher altitudes, there are birch, rhododendron, and a large number of herbal plants.
Kashmir is also blessed with the most magnificent of trees such as the chinar, found throughout the valley. Mountain ranges in the valley have dense deodar, pine and fir. Walnut, willow, almond and cider also part of the rich flora of Kashmir.
In the hilly regions of Doda, Udhampur, Poonch and Rajouri, there is a large and varied fauna such as leopard, cheetah, deer, wild sheep, bear, brown musk shrew, and muskrat. Varieties of snakes, bats, lizards and frogs are also found in the region. The birds in Jammu include pheasants, peacock, chakor (Alectoris graeca) and snow partridge.
The dense forests of Kashmir are a delight to the sport lovers and adventurers for whom there are snow leopards, wolves, ibex, red bears, black bears, musk deers, and leopards. The birds include ducks, goose, chakor, herons, water pigeons, pheasant, wagtails, partridge, warblers, and doves. In the arid desert of Ladakh, some 240 species of local and migratory birds have been identified including the black-necked crane.
The Ladakh fauna includes yak, snow leopard, red bear, Himalayan ibex, gazelle, Tibetan antelope and wild ass. |
