Pangong Tso (18194)
India, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Pangong Tso
Central coordinates: Latitude: 33.8333, Longitude: 78.5833
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 4218 00
Area of KBA (km2): 310.94574
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Pangong Tso is a long, narrow, brackish lake spanning the Indian/ Chinese border, in a valley in the upper drainage basin of the Indus river, at the east end of the Karakoram Range. Only the westernmost one-third of the lake lies in Indian territory. It is a chain of four interconnecting lakes, formed by natural damming of the valley. Five rivers fed by perennial springs and snowmelt flow into the Indian portion of the lake. The runoff from the west end of the lake flows northwest into the Shyok river, a tributary of the Indus. There are some brackish to saline marshes near the western end, with adjacent wet meadows. The lake has been suggested as a Ramsar site due to its biological, cultural and geological values (Chatterjee et al. 2002). It is the largest and most brackish wetland in the cold desert ecosystem of the Trans-Himalaya. A fossil freshwater mollusc Lymnea auricularia was discovered in ancient lacustrine clay deposits above the present level of lake, providing evidence that earlier it was a freshwater lake (Sharma 2000). Due to its extreme salinity, Pangong Tso does not have any vegetation in the deeper parts, but at the margins and marshy areas, typical, steppe vegetation is seen. Sedges and grasses are found towards the northern and eastern sides. The surrounding plateau and hills support low thorn scrub and perennial herbs.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: AVIFAUNA: Pangong Tso is an important breeding area for a variety of waterfowl, including Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea. The Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus occurs in significant numbers on migration and could be breeding there. It is also a significant staging ground during the autumn migration. Although, the globally endangered Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis does not breed here (Pfister 1998), nearby Chushul is a very well-known breeding and staging area, with 3-4 breeding pairs. Pangong Tso could be their staging and foraging ground, especially on the marshes on the fringe of this lake (O. Pfister pers. comm. 2003). OTHER KEY FAUNA: The surrounding hills and plateau support a rich assemblage of Himalayan and Tibetan wildlife, including the Wild Ass Equus kiang, Snow Leopard Uncia uncia, Great Tibetan Sheep Ovis ammon hodgsoni, Ladakh Urial Ovis orientalis (now considered a subspecies of Ovis ammon), Blue Sheep Pseudois nayaur, Tibetan Gazelle Procapra picticaudata, Tibetan Wolf Canis lupus chanku, and Red Fox Vulpes vulpes. Himalayan Mouse Hare Ochotona roylei and Himalayan Marmot Marmota himalayana are very common, and form the main prey for smaller carnivores and raptors.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research | rangeland/pastureland | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Over-grazing; Unrestricted tourism. The State Government intends to declare an area of 400,000 ha in eastern Ladakh as a High Altitude Cold Desert National Park. The existing Pangong Reserve would be incorporated within this Park. Local people graze their yaks and horses on the marshes and meadows, and harvest the grasses for fodder. The current level of grazing already exceeds the carrying capacity of the land, and is resulting in soil erosion. Domestic livestock causes some disturbance to nesting birds. The local people, being Buddhist, do not kill cranes or any wildlife, but their livestock graze very close to the nesting birds. This could be regulated through their cooperation.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Soil erosion, sedimentation | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Chatterjee, A., Chandan, P., Gautam, P. and Droz, B. H. (2002) High Altitude Wetlands of Ladakh: A Conservation Initiative. WWF-India, New Delhi. Pp. 38. Pfister, O. (1998) Breeding ecology and conservation of the Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) in Ladakh/India. Thesis, University of Hull, Hull, UK. Pfister, O. (2001) Birds recorded during visits to Ladakh, India, from 1994 to 1997. Forktail 17: 81-90. Sharma, V. P. (2000) Geology of the Ladakh Region, J&K State with special reference to High Altitude Lakes. Unpublished. Paper presented at National Consultation Workshop: Conservation of High Altitude Wetlands. WWF-India, Leh.