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{{Short description|Wildlife sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary
| alt_name =
| iucn_category = IV
| image = File:Snow Leopards - Ghost of the Mountains for Ministry of Tourism (MOT) India 9.png
| image_alt =
| image_caption = [[Snow leopard]] in Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary
| map = India Himachal Pradesh#India
| map_alt = Location of Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh
| map_caption = Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary (in Himachal Pradesh)
| relief = yes
| mapframe = Yes
| mapframe-zoom = 9
| location = [[Lahaul and Spiti district]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], [[India]]
| nearest_city = [[Kaza, Himachal Pradesh|Kaza]]
| coordinates = {{coord|32.2096|78.0765|region:IN-HP|display=inline,title}}
| coords_ref =
| area = {{cvt|2220.12|km2}}
| established = 1999
| governing_body = Himachal Pradesh Forest Department
| label = Kibber WS
| mark = Green pog.svg
}}
'''Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary''' is a high-altitude [[List of wildlife sanctuaries of India|protected area]] in the Indian [[Himalayas]]. It is located in the [[Spiti Valley]] of [[Lahaul and Spiti district]] in the Indian state of [[Himachal Pradesh]]. It was established in 1999, and covers an area of {{cvt|2220.12|km2}}.<ref name="HPForest">{{cite web |url= https://hpforest.gov.in/storage/files/4/pdf/KibberWildLifeSanctuary_A1b.pdf|title= Government of Himachal Pradesh |publisher=[[Government of Himachal Pradesh]] |access-date=3 July 2025}}</ref> It is the only [[cold desert]] sanctuary in India.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sanctuaries |url=https://himachaltourism.gov.in/destination/sanctuaries/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828064348/https://himachaltourism.gov.in/destination/sanctuaries/ |archive-date=28 August 2024 |access-date=1 June 2025 |work=[[Government of Himachal Pradesh]] }}</ref>

== Geography ==
The Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary spans an area of {{cvt|2220.12|km2}} in the [[Spiti Valley]] of the [[Himalayas]]. It forms part of the [[Lahaul and Spiti district]] in the Indian state of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and is the largest protected area in the state. It mainly consists of [[cold desert]] and [[Alpine tundra|alpine]] habitat around the village of [[Kibber]], at elevations ranging between {{cvt|3800-6000|m}}.<ref name="HPForest" /> The sanctuary encompasses the [[Spiti|upper Spiti River valley]] and the surrounding ridges. It borders the [[Pin Valley National Park]] to the south via a high-altitude corridor. The terrain is characterized by stark rocky slopes, glacier-fed streams, and sparse alpine meadows.<ref>{{cite web |date=2018 |title=Biodiversity Assessment of Spiti Region (including Kibber WS) |url=https://wii.gov.in/images/images/documents/publications/spiti_biodiversity_report.pdf |access-date=3 July 2025 |publisher=[[Wildlife Institute of India]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260111141425/https://wii.gov.in/images/images/documents/publications/spiti_biodiversity_report.pdf |archive-date=11 January 2026}}</ref> The reserve can be accessed via the state highway connecting [[Kaza, Himachal Pradesh|Kaza]] and [[Chandra Taal]].<ref name="HPForest" />

== Flora and fauna ==
There were 116 [[plant species]] recorded in the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, representing 71 [[genera]] and 33 [[Family (biology)|families]]. Among these, nine species were [[shrubs]] and 107 were classified as [[herbs]]. The dominant families were ''[[Asteraceae]]'', ''[[Fabaceae]]'', and ''[[Rosaceae]]''. Commonly found [[medicinal plants]] include Ratan Jot (''[[Arnebia|Arnebia euchroma]]''), Atis (''[[Aconitum heterophyllum]]''), Pashanved (''[[Bergenia stracheyi]]''), Somlata (''[[Ephedra gerardiana]]''), Kutki (''[[Picrorhiza kurroa]]''), Caragana (''[[Caragana|Caragana versicolor]]''), Thangdoom (''[[Hyoscyamus niger]]''), Gipachi (''[[Nepeta|Nepeta longibracteata]]''), and Sangthick (''[[Primula scotica]]'').<ref name="Report">{{Cite web |title=Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary |url=https://spitiwildlifedivision.in/protected-areas/kibber-wildlife-sanctuary/ |access-date=4 June 2025 |work=Spiti Wildlife Division }}</ref>

The wildlife sanctuary supports several high-altitude [[mammals]] such as [[Bharal]] (''Pseudois nayaur''), [[Himalayan marmot]] (''Marmota himalayana''), [[Himalayan tahr]] (''Hemitragus jemlahicus''), [[Himalayan wolf]] (''Canis lupus chanco''), [[Siberian ibex]] (''Capra sibirica''), [[snow leopard]] (''Panthera uncia''), and [[Tibetan gazelle]] (''Procapra picticaudata'').<ref name="Report"/> About 30 snow leopards were reported in the sanctuary in 2018.<ref>{{cite news |title=Up to 30 snow leopards in Kibber wildlife sanctuary of Spiti |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/forest-guard-captures-snow-leopard-family-on-camera-revives-hopes-for-big-cat/articleshow/63261048.cms |access-date=4 July 2025 |work=[[The Times of India]] |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> There have been more than 90 documented [[bird]] species in the park including [[bearded vulture]] (''Gypaetus barbatus''), [[chukar partridge]] (''Alectoris chukar''), [[Himalayan vulture]] (''Gyps himalayensis''), and [[Tibetan snowcock]] (''Tetraogallus tibetanus'').<ref>{{cite web |title=Bird list – Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary |url=https://ebird.org/hotspot/L5683456 |access-date=3 July 2025 |work=eBird}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://hpforest.nic.in/pages/display/59-protected-area-network Protected Area Network – Himachal Pradesh Forest Department]

Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary - Revision history

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