Langtang National Park
| Langtang National Park | |
|---|---|
|
IUCN Category II (National Park)
|
|
 Gosainkunda Lake in the southwest of the national park |
|
 |
|
| Location | Nepal |
| Nearest city | Kathmandu |
| Coordinates | 28°10′26″N 85°33′11″E / 28.1738°N 85.5531°ECoordinates: 28°10′26″N 85°33′11″E / 28.1738°N 85.5531°E |
| Area | 1,710 km2 (660 sq mi) |
| Established | 1976 |
| Governing body | Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Ministry of Forests |
Langtang National Park is the fourth national park in Nepal and was established in 1976 as the first Himalayan national park. The protected area exceeds an altitudinal range of 6,450 m (21,160 ft) and covers an area of 1,710 km2 (660 sq mi) in the Nuwakot, Rasuwa and Sindhulpalchok districts of the central Himalayan region encompassing 26 Village Development Committees.[1]
The northern and eastern border of the national park coincide with the international border to the Tibet Autonomous Region. The western boundary follows the rivers Bhote Kosi and Trisuli. The southern border lies 32 km (20 mi) north of the Kathmandu Valley.[2] The rugged summits of Langtang Lirung with an elevation of 7,227 m (23,711 ft) and Dorje Lakpa (6,966 m (22,854 ft)) are included in the national park as well as the high altitude sacred lake of Gosainkunda.
Contents |
[edit] History
In 1970, royal approval designated the establishment of Langtang National Park as the first protected area in the Himalayas. The national park was gazetted in 1976 and extended by a buffer zone of 420 km2 (160 sq mi) in 1998.[1]
[edit] Climate
The climate of the park is dominated by the southwest summer monsoon. Temperatures vary greatly due to the extreme difference in altitude in the entire area. Most of the annual precipitation occurs from June to September. In fall (October – November) and spring (April – May), days are warm and sunny, and nights cool. In spring, rain at 3000 m elevation often turns to snow at higher elevations. In winter from December to March, days are clear and mild but nights near freezing.[3]
[edit] Vegetation
The Langtang National Park exhibits a high diversity of 14 vegetation types in 18 ecosystem types, ranging from upper tropical forests below 1,000 m (3,300 ft) m altitude to alpine scrub and perennial ice.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Bhuju, U.R., Shakya, P.R., Basnet, T.B., Shrestha, S. (2007) Nepal Biodiversity Resource Book. Protected Areas, Ramsar Sites, and World Heritage Sites. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, in cooperation with United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Kathmandu, ISBN 978-92-9115-033-5 download pdf
- ^ Yonzon, P., Jones, R., Fox, J. (1991) Geographic Information Systems for Assessing Habitat and Estimating Population of Red Pandas in Langtang National Park, Nepal. Ambio, Vol. 20, No. 7 (Nov 1991): 285-288
- ^ Sayers, K., Norconk, M.A. (2008) Himalayan Semnopithecus entellus at Langtang National Park, Nepal: Diet, Activity Patterns, and Resources. International Journal of Primatology (2008) 29: 509–530 pdf online
[edit] External links
- Information of Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Nepal
- Information of ICIMOD's Conservation Portal: Langtang National Park
- BirdLife IBA factsheet about Langtang National Park
- Nepal Tourism directory: Langtang National Park
|
|||||||||||||||||
