अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले प्रश्न (FAQs)
Q1: What makes Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary the largest in the Western Himalayas?
Spanning an enormous 975 square kilometers across Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts, the sanctuary stretches from temperate oak forests at 1,160 meters to permanent glaciers and mountain peaks rising above 7,000 meters.
Q2: What is the Kanchula Korak Musk Deer Breeding Centre?
Located near Chopta inside the sanctuary, Kanchula Korak is a dedicated captive breeding and conservation research centre set up in 1982 to protect and breed the endangered Himalayan Musk Deer.
Q3: What historic environmental movement started within this sanctuary?
The world-renowned Chipko Movement began in 1973 in the village of Mandal on the edge of Kedarnath Sanctuary, where local women led by Gaura Devi hugged forest trees to prevent commercial felling.
Q4: What is the popular trek from Chopta inside the sanctuary?
The famous 4.5 km trek from Chopta ascends through rhododendron forests to Tungnath Temple (the highest Shiva temple in the world at 3,680 m) and continues to the breathtaking 4,000-meter Chandrashila summit.
Q5: What flagship wildlife can be spotted around Chopta and Tungnath?
Visitors regularly sight the brilliantly iridescent Himalayan Monal (state bird of Uttarakhand), Himalayan Tahr grazing on sheer cliffs, Musk Deer, Pika (mouse hares), and Lammergeier vultures soaring overhead.