Dachigam National Park
Dachigam National Park is a beautiful place, located about 22 Kilometers from the Srinagar District of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
In past, the park was the exclusive hunting preserve of the Maharaja of Kashmir. Dachigam was initially established to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to Srinagar city.
It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in the year of 1951. In 1981, the Dachigam wildlife sanctuary was declared a National Park. Total area of the park is about 141 Km2.
The name (Dachigam) literally stands for ‘ten villages’, which could be in memory of the ten villages that were relocated outside the park, giving the place its name Dachigam, which means ‘ten villages.
The Park is located in two different zones, Upper and Lower Dachigam. Both zones containing some major distinctions in terms of terrain, flora, and fauna.
The Park is famous for its unique and diverse wildlife and bird species. The park contains the last viable Hangul population in the world. Related to the red Deer of Europe, this breed is characterized by its white rump patch and impressive spread of antlers.
The rich wildlife includes Leopard, Common Palm Civet, Jackal, Red Fox, Musk deer, Black bear, Brown bear, Yellow-throated Marten, and Himalayan Weasel. Over 145 different bird species including the Lammergeier, colorful species like Monal Pheasant and Blue Magpie are seen.
The floral wealth of the park is extremely diverse and a significant part of its ecosystem. Some of the commonly found tree species include Walnut, Apricot, Apple, Pear, and Wild Cherry, Plum, Chestnut, Willow, Oak, and Birch trees.
Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary comprises several lakes, rivers, flowery meadows, waterfalls, and dense coniferous forests. The Dagwan River that flows from the Marsar Lake is a famous fishing spot and is known for its population of trout.
History
In past, the park was the exclusive hunting preserve of the Maharaja of Kashmir. The park has been a protected area since 1910, first under the care of the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir and later under the observation of the concerned government authorities. Dachigam was initially established to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to Srinagar city.
After Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India, responsibility for managing Dachigam went to the State Government and it was administered at different times by the State Fisheries Department, Tawaza Entertainment Department and the Forest Department. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in the year of 1951.
From 1978 it has been under the purview of the Directorate of Game Preservation of the Forest Department and in 1982 the Directorate was upgraded to an independent department and is now known as the Department of Wildlife Protection.
In 1981, the Dachigam wildlife sanctuary declared as a National Park. Total area of the park is about 141 Km2.
The name literally stands for ‘ten villages’, which could be in memory of the ten villages that were relocated outside the park, giving the place its name Dachigam, which means ‘ten villages’.
The Maharaja planted a number of tree species preferred by the wild denizens, such as oak and horse chestnut and supplemented the limited winter fodder available to the wild animals. He also introduced Wild Boar to the area, a small population of which survived into the early 1990s but which have now died out.
Geography
Dachigam National Park is located about 22 Kilometers from Srinagar District of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The park is located in the Zabarwan Range of the western Himalayas.
Dachigam National Park of India is situated amidst the western Himalayas. The landscape of the park ranges from gently sloping grasslands to sharp rocky outcrops and cliffs. The mountainsides are covered with coniferous forests, dotted with alpine pastures, surging meadows, waterfalls and scrub vegetation.
The Park is located in two different zones, Upper and Lower Dachigam. Both zones containing some major distinction in terms of terrain, flora and fauna. Lower Dachigam, in the west, comprises approximately a third of the total area and is the area most accessible to a visitor. Upper Dachigam in the east extends over the higher reaches and is a good day’s trek from the nearest road head.
The grasslands and meadows stand covered with beautiful flowers throughout the year, except the winter season.
Coniferous forests cover a large area in Dachigam National Park. The mountainsides of the forest are thickly covered with wild trees.
Dachigam National Park has great topographical diversity and is full of thick woods, steep rocky ridges, gentle grassy slopes and deep gullies. The National Park occupies almost half of the catchment zone of the famous Dal Lake and still plays a crucial role is supplying clean drinking water to the inhabitants of Srinagar.
Marsar Lake lies between ridges that stand 4,000 m. high and is fed by perennial springs as well as the streams and rivulets that flow down the ridges. The Daghwan stream arrives at the park from the Marsar Lake carrying waters as clean and fresh as the source
Altitude – 5500 to 14000 ft above mean sea level.
Dominant flora
Wild Cherry, Pear, Plum, Peach, Apple, Apricot, Walnut, Chestnut, Oak, Willow, Poplar, Chinar, Birch, Pine, Elm, Chestnut, Poplars etc.
Dominant fauna
Mammals – Kashmiri Stag, Musk Deer, leopards, Himalayan Gray Langurs, Leopard Cats, Himalayan black bear, Jackals, Hill Fox, Himalayan Weasel, Yellow-throated Martens, Jungle Cat, Long Tailed Marmots, Himalayan Brown Bear, The Otter, Yellow-throated Marten, Jungle-cat, Himalayan Fox, Serow etc.
Birds – Monal Pheasant, Crimson Tragopan, Golden Eagle, Bearded Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Lammergeier Vulture, Blood Pheasant, Cinnamon Sparrow, Woodpeckers, Himalayan Rubythroat, Pygmy Owlet, Babblers, Orange Bullfinch, Golden Oriole, Black Bulbul, Koklass Pheasant, Peregrine Falcon, Paradise Flycatcher, Western Yellow-Billed Blue Magpie, Golden Oriole, Grey Heron etc.