Khangchendzonga National Park rated “Good” by IUCN

¨     Khangchendzonga National Park rated “Good” by IUCN.

¨     Khangchendzonga National Park has been rated as "good" in the latest global review of natural World Heritage sites by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

¨     It is the only Indian World Heritage Site with this positive rating.

¨     While other important areas like the Western Ghats and Sundarbans are facing serious concerns.

¨     Khangchendzonga, officially known as the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, is India’s first “mixed” UNESCO World Heritage Site.

¨     It was recognised in 2016 for its combination of natural beauty and cultural importance.

¨     Spread over 1,784 square kilometres, the mountain ranges range from misty subtropical forests at lower elevations to the snow-capped peak of 8,586-metre-high Mount Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak.

¨     The park hosts 280 glaciers and over 70 glacial lakes.

¨     A rich diversity of wildlife, including snow leopards, clouded leopards, red pandas, blue sheep, Himalayan tahr, and over 550 bird species, such as the Impeyan pheasant and satyr tragopan.

¨     The park holds deep cultural significance for local communities.

¨     It is considered a sacred landscape by the Lepcha people and Tibetan Buddhists, where spiritual traditions continue alongside conservation.

¨     The vast Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, expanded in 2018, connects the main protected areas with buffer zones where villagers practice sustainable farming and harvesting.