Askot Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh has been declared as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).
- As per the gazette notification issued by the Union Environment Ministry on December 3, the Sanctuary area has been reduced. As a result, the sanctuary area is now limited from original area 599.93 square kilometers to only 454.65 square km giving a comparatively little area for the fauna to move around.
- Known as ‘Green Paradise on the Earth’, the Askot Sanctuary which is situated some 54 km north of Pithoragarh in Kumaon region was established in 1986 primarily for preserving the musk deer and other rare Himalayan species and their natural habitats.
- In the sanctuary there are 2600 plants, 250 birds and 37 mammal species like snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan tahr, blue sheep, serow besides musk deer. Among the fauna are species like loong, monal, kalij pheasant and cheer pheasant.
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