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Tso Moriri or Lake Moriri , () or "Mountain Lake", is a pristine high-altitude lake and a Ramsar Wetland Site in the remote Changthang Plateau (literally: northern plains) in
Leh district Leh district is a district in Indian-administered Ladakh in the Kashmir#Dispute, disputed Kashmir-region. The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the WP:T ...
of the
union territory Among the states and union territories of India, a Union Territory (UT) is a region that is directly governed by the Government of India, central government of India, as opposed to the states, which have their own State governments of India, s ...
of
Ladakh Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory and constitutes an eastern portion of the larger Kashmir region that has been the subject of a Kashmir#Kashmir dispute, dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947 and India an ...
in
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. As the largest high-altitude lake entirely within India and Ladakh's Trans-Himalayan region, it spans 26 km north-south and 3-5 km wide. The lake is fed by three primary glacial streams - Karzok Phu (west), Gyama Phu (north), and Phirse Phu (southwest) - which form extensive marshes at their
delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta"), the fourth letter in the Latin alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * Delta Air Lines, a major US carrier ...
s. Though now an
endorheic lake An endorheic lake (also called a sink lake or terminal lake) is a collection of water within an endorheic basin, or sink, with no evident outlet. Endorheic lakes are generally Saline water, saline as a result of being unable to get rid of solutes ...
due to its blocked southern outlet, Tso Moriri maintains slightly
brackish Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estuari ...
yet palatable waters. Its
oligotrophic An oligotroph is an organism that can live in an environment that offers very low levels of nutrients. They may be contrasted with copiotrophs, which prefer nutritionally rich environments. Oligotrophs are characterized by slow growth, low rates o ...
(nutrient-poor),
alkaline In chemistry, an alkali (; from the Arabic word , ) is a basic salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7.0. The ...
ecosystem supports unique biodiversity. The area gained protection as the Tso Moriri Wetland Conservation Reserve, though accessibility remains limited mostly to summer months. Year-round settlements exist only at
Karzok Karzok or Korzok (at an altitude of 14,995 ft or 4,570 m to 15,075 ft or 4,595 m above sea level), on the northwestern shores of the Tso Moriri lake, is a village in the Rupshu region and Community development block in India, block of ...
village (northwest shore) and military outposts along the eastern banks, enduring the extreme high-altitude climate. Tso Moriri The nearest airport is 219 km northwest at Leh City, capital of
Ladakh Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory and constitutes an eastern portion of the larger Kashmir region that has been the subject of a Kashmir#Kashmir dispute, dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947 and India an ...
, the nearest rail access will be at Miroo station on the under-construction Bhanupli-Leh line. Road access to Tso Moriri is available from multiple directions: from the north via Sumdo along the ( Miroo-Puga-Sumdo-Mahe Road connecting to Sumdo-Karzok Road; from the south through the under-construction Kiato-Karzok Road (125 km) via the high-altitude Takling La Tunnel (5575 m) from
Spiti Valley Spiti (pronounced as piti in Bhoti language) is a high-altitude region of the Himalayas, located in the north-eastern part of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name "Spiti" means "The middle land", i.e. the land between Tib ...
; and from the northeast/east via the Hanle- Ryul-Tegazhung-
Chumur Chumar or Chumur () is a village located in south-eastern region of Ladakh, Ladakh, India and the centre of nomadic grazing. It is in Rupshu block, south of the Tso Moriri lake, on the bank of the Parang River (or ''Pare Chu''), close to Ladakh's ...
Road network.


Geography

The Changthang Plateau in the eastern Ladakh is an extension of the western
Tibetan plateau The Tibetan Plateau, also known as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau or Qingzang Plateau, is a vast elevated plateau located at the intersection of Central Asia, Central, South Asia, South, and East Asia. Geographically, it is located to the north of H ...
that lies above msl and supports diverse but low populations of several globally threatened mammals. The lake's drainage area could also be categorised as a basin since it is a
closed drainage An endorheic basin ( ; also endoreic basin and endorreic basin) is a drainage basin that normally retains water and allows no outflow to other external bodies of water (e.g. rivers and oceans); instead, the water drainage flows into permanent ...
basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans. The Tso Moriri lake is 20 to 50 kilometers southeast of the elevated valley of the core Rupshu Valley and falls within the greater Rupshu Plateau and valley area. The lake, with water spread area of , 26 km north-south and 3-5 km wide, is enclosed by several peaks exceeding on both the east and west sides, including Mentok Kangri and Lungser Kangri. Geologically the Tso Moriri lake is in
Ordovician The Ordovician ( ) is a geologic period and System (geology), system, the second of six periods of the Paleozoic Era (geology), Era, and the second of twelve periods of the Phanerozoic Eon (geology), Eon. The Ordovician spans 41.6 million years f ...
rock.. The brackish water of the lake has NaC1 less than 5.85 g/L, measured in mid-summer. It is bordered by the Salt Valley, Kyago Tso and Puga Valley to the north; while the Tegazhung Plains (pasturelands) and Chumur region lie to its southeast. Several small mountain streams feed the lake, including one through pasture land at Peldo Le. The lake is fed by springs and snow melt and has a maximum depth of . The primary western inflow comes from Lingdi River, the lake's major tributary, which drains the western catchment before entering Tso Moriri's southern shore. The lake's southern edge opens into a broad, flat valley that connects with - but hydrologically remains separate from - the Pare Chu river (part of
Sutlej The Sutlej River or the Satluj River is a major river in Asia, flowing through China, India and Pakistan, and is the longest of the five major rivers of the Punjab region. It is also known as ''Satadru''; and is the easternmost tributary of t ...
river basin). To the south of Tso Moriri lies the Nuro Sumdo wetlands (with catchment), a boggy area outside the lake's drainage basin that primarily drains into the Pare Chu River system. Tso Moriri is categorized among the
Himalaya The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than 100 pea ...
n lakes based on origin. According to established classification systems, these lakes are divided into four groups, with Tso Moriri belonging to the third category of "remnant lakes" - water bodies that remain from much larger prehistoric lakes. The classification as reported states:
''(i)
Glacial lakes A glacial lake is a body of water with origins from glacier activity. They are formed when a glacier erodes the land and then melts, filling the depression created by the glacier. Formation Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,0 ...
which are formed in and around
glaciers A glacier (; or ) is a persistent body of dense ice, a form of rock, that is constantly moving downhill under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires ...
; (ii) Structural lakes, formed by folds or faults due to movements in earth’s crust (e.g.
Nainital Nainital (Kumaoni language, Kumaoni: ''Naintāl''; ) is a town and headquarters of Nainital district of Kumaon division, Uttarakhand, India. It is the judicial capital of Uttarakhand, the Uttarakhand High Court, High Court of the state being ...
lake in
Uttarakhand Uttarakhand (, ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2007), is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. The state is bordered by Himachal Pradesh to the n ...
), (iii) ''Remnant lakes'' which were originally structural but represent the remnants of vast lakes (e.g., Tso Moriri, Tso Kar,
Pangong Tso Pangong Tso or Pangong Lake (; zh, s=班公错, p=Bān gōng cuò; ) is an endorheic lake spanning eastern Ladakh and Ngari Prefecture, West Tibet situated at an elevation of . It is long and divided into five sublakes, called ''Pangong Tso' ...
in
Ladakh Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory and constitutes an eastern portion of the larger Kashmir region that has been the subject of a Kashmir#Kashmir dispute, dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947 and India an ...
, and Dal Lake in
Kashmir Kashmir ( or ) is the Northwestern Indian subcontinent, northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term ''Kashmir'' denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir P ...
), (iv) Natural dammed lakes i.e., temporary water bodies formed along the river courses due to deposition of rocks or debris e.g. Gohna Tal in Garhwal, Uttarakhand.''


Climate

Aridity Aridity is the condition of geographical regions which make up approximately 43% of total global available land area, characterized by low annual precipitation, increased temperatures, and limited water availability.Perez-Aguilar, L. Y., Plata ...
and cold
desert A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the la ...
conditions prevail in the lake region; with summer temperature varying from and winter temperature recording .


People

Changpa The Changpa, or Champa, are a semi-nomadic Tibetan people found mainly in the Changtang in Ladakh, India. A smaller number resides in the western regions of the Tibet Autonomous Region and were partially relocated for the establishment of t ...
, the
nomadic Nomads are communities without fixed habitation who regularly move to and from areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the population of nomadic pa ...
migratory
shepherds A shepherd is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations; it exists in many parts of the globe, and it is an important part of Pastoralism, pastoralist animal husbandry. ...
(pastoral community) of yak,
sheep Sheep (: sheep) or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are a domesticated, ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to d ...
,
goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a species of Caprinae, goat-antelope that is mostly kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the ...
, and
horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...
s of
Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
an origin and who are engaged in trade and work on caravans in
Ladakh Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory and constitutes an eastern portion of the larger Kashmir region that has been the subject of a Kashmir#Kashmir dispute, dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947 and India an ...
region, are the main inhabitants of the area.https://www.holidaymoods.in/trip-to-leh-ladakh Tsomoriri lake trecks Changpa (Champa) herders use the land of this valley as grazing ground and for cultivation.


Tourism

Karzok has homestays,
Buddhist monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which may ...
and lake tourism. The Korzok Monastery, on the western bank of the lake is 400 years old and attracts tourists and
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
pilgrims. Tourism during May – September attracts large number of foreign and local tourists even though tented accommodation is the facility available, apart from a small PWD guest house close to the Lake. Northeast of Tso Moriri is a small lake, Kyagar Tso in the Salt Valley, which is known locally as Lake of Joy.


Transport

Airports: * Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, the nearest airport with scheduled domestic flights is at
Leh Leh () is a city in Indian-administered Ladakh in the Kashmir#Kashmir_dispute, disputed Kashmir region. The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the WP:TE ...
, northeast by road. * Nyoma Military Airbase is only 60-70 km away to the northeast, but as of 2025 it is not open for the civilian flights though there are plans for the joint-use civilian enclave under the
UDAN ''Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik'' (Hindi for "Let the common citizens of the country fly"), known by its acronym ''UDAN-RCS'' ('Udan' is Hindi for "flight") is a regional airport development program of the Government of India and part of the Regio ...
scheme. * Rangrik Airport, the proprosed airport 100-120 km to the south from Karzok.Airports in HP
accessed 21 Apr 2025.
Railway: * Miroo, will be the nearest railway station at the under-construction Bhanupli–Leh line. Roads: * From north, via Sumdo from "Miroo-Puga-Sumdo- Mahe Road" ( MPSM Road) and then travelling south on Sumdo-Karzok Road. See transport to Salt Valley and Tso Moriri. * From south, via Kiato (near
Kaza A kaza (, "judgment" or "jurisdiction") was an administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire, administrative division of the Ottoman Empire. It is also discussed in English under the names district, subdistrict, and juridical district. Kazas co ...
in
Spiti Valley Spiti (pronounced as piti in Bhoti language) is a high-altitude region of the Himalayas, located in the north-eastern part of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name "Spiti" means "The middle land", i.e. the land between Tib ...
in
Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh (; Sanskrit: ''himācāl prādes;'' "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a States and union territories of India, state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen Indian Himalayan ...
) from the 125 km long Kiato-Karzok Road through the Takling La Tunnel (5575 m) being constructed by the BRO as fourth alternative route to Ladakh. * From northeast ( Hanle) and east (
Chumur Chumar or Chumur () is a village located in south-eastern region of Ladakh, Ladakh, India and the centre of nomadic grazing. It is in Rupshu block, south of the Tso Moriri lake, on the bank of the Parang River (or ''Pare Chu''), close to Ladakh's ...
), near Ryul Tso on Hanle-Ryul-Chumur Road taking the Ryul-Chumur Road towards south, and then taking the west turn near Tegazhung Plains (pastureland on southeast bank of Tso Moriri lake between the lake and Chumur) on the Chumur-Tegazhung-Karzok Road to go northwest to Karzok via Charchagan La (southeast bank of Tso Moriri). * Tsomoriri-
Pangong Tso Pangong Tso or Pangong Lake (; zh, s=班公错, p=Bān gōng cuò; ) is an endorheic lake spanning eastern Ladakh and Ngari Prefecture, West Tibet situated at an elevation of . It is long and divided into five sublakes, called ''Pangong Tso' ...
235km long tourist route via
Nyoma Nyoma is a principal village of southern Ladakh in India, the headquarters of an eponymous subdivision, tehsil, community development block and Indian Air Force Base in the Leh district.Chushul Chushul is a village in the Leh district of Ladakh, India. It is located in the Durbuk tehsil, in the area known as "Chushul Valley", south of the Pangong Lake and west of the Spanggur Lake. The Line of Actual Control with China runs about 5 ...
and Spangmik in the remote Changtang region, considered to be one of the most beautiful drives in the entire Ladakh region, is in a good condition for the most part. There are no petrol pumps on this long route, hence carrying enough fuel is necessary. Foreigners are not allowed to go beyond the Man - Merak villages on Pangong Tso as permits are not issued for them.


Ecology

Tso Moriri basin represents a landscape of low productive ecosystems which protects unique floral and faunal species. The Working Report (2006) of the Planning Commission of the
Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...
also reports:
Despite a poor vegetation cover, relatively low standing biomass and high anthropogenic pressure, this area sustains a considerably high livestock population. Steady increase in the livestock population in the area is mainly attributed to influx of nomadic herders from Tibet during recent decades and promotion of Pashmina goat production by the Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) for fine quality under wool (
Pashmina Pashmina (, ) refers to, depending on the source, the cashmere wool of the Changthangi cashmere goat,Janet Rizvi: ''Pashmina: The Kashmir Shawl and Beyond''. Marg Foundation, 2009. ISBN 978-8185026909. fine Kashmiri cashmere wool,Robert R. Fran ...
). The herders and AHD officials, in recent years have begun to raise concern over degradation of pastures, resultant shortage of forage, and mass mortality of livestock during severe winters.


Flora

While deeper waters remain barren, Tso Moriri's shallows support Potamogeton spp., with marshes dominated by arid-steppe vegetation including characteristic ''
Caragana ''Caragana'' is a genus of about 80–100 species of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, native to Asia and eastern Europe. They are shrubs or small trees growing tall. They have even-pinnate leaves with small leaflets, and solitary or cl ...
'', ''
Astragalus Astragalus may refer to: * ''Astragalus'' (plant), a large genus of herbs and small shrubs *Astragalus (bone) The talus (; Latin for ankle or ankle bone; : tali), talus bone, astragalus (), or ankle bone is one of the group of foot bones known ...
'', ''
Potamogeton ''Potamogeton'' is a genus of aquatic, mostly freshwater, plants of the family Potamogetonaceae. Most are known by the common name pondweed, although many unrelated plants may be called pondweed, such as Canadian pondweed (''Elodea canadensis' ...
'' species. The area features characteristic several species of ''
Carex ''Carex'' is a vast genus of over 2,000 species of grass-like plants in the family (biology), family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges (or seg, in older books). Other members of the family Cyperaceae are also called sedges, however those of ge ...
'', ''
Primula ''Primula'' () is a genus of herbaceous plant, herbaceous flowering plants in the family (biology), family Primulaceae. They include the primrose (''Primula vulgaris, P. vulgaris''), a familiar wildflower of banks and verges. Other common specie ...
'' (low growing herb), '' Pedicularis''(parasitic plant), ''
Juncus ''Juncus'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants, commonly known as rushes. It is the largest genus in the family Juncaceae, containing around 300 species. Description Rushes of the genus ''Juncus'' are herbaceous plants that superfici ...
'' ''thomsonii'' and '' Leontopodium'' sp. Phytoplankton like ''
Oocystis ''Oocystis'' is a planktonic genus of mostly freshwater green algae of the Family (biology), family Oocystaceae. It is the type genus of its family. ''Oocystis'' is mostly found in freshwater habitats and has a cosmopolitan distribution. A few sp ...
'' (900 cells/L to 25m depth) and
diatom A diatom (Neo-Latin ''diatoma'') is any member of a large group comprising several Genus, genera of algae, specifically microalgae, found in the oceans, waterways and soils of the world. Living diatoms make up a significant portion of Earth's B ...
''Cyclotella'' inhabit the waters, while surrounding pastures sustain domestic livestock.


Fauna

An avifaunal survey of the lake and its adjoining Nuro Sumdo wetland conducted in July 1996 revealed the following facts: * Large carnivores: The
snow leopard The snow leopard (''Panthera uncia'') is a species of large cat in the genus ''Panthera'' of the family Felidae. The species is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because ...
(''Uncia uncia''), Tibetan wolf (''Canis lupus chanco''). * Mammals: The tibetan gazelle, ''
procapra picticaudata The goa (''Procapra picticaudata''), also known as the Tibetan gazelle, is a species of antelope that inhabits the Tibetan plateau. Description The goa is a relatively small antelope, with slender and graceful bodies. Both males and females sta ...
'', Goa antelope (threatened), ''
Eurasian lynx The Eurasian lynx (''Lynx lynx'') is one of the four wikt:extant, extant species within the medium-sized wild Felidae, cat genus ''Lynx''. It is widely distributed from Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe to Cent ...
'', Nayan '' Ovis ammon'' ''hodgsoni'',
Bharal The bharal (''Pseudois nayaur''), also called the blue sheep, is a Caprinae, caprine native to the high Himalayas. It is the monotypic taxon, only member of the genus ''Pseudois.'' It occurs in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and in Ch ...
(''Pseudois nayaur'') Himalayan blue sheep, Tibetan Ass (
Kiang The kiang (''Equus kiang'') is the largest of the ''Asinus'' subgenus. It is native to the Tibetan Plateau in Ladakh India, northern Pakistan, Tajikistan, China and northern Nepal. It inhabits montane grasslands and shrublands. Other common nam ...
) or ''Equus kiang'', endemic to the
Tibetan Plateau The Tibetan Plateau, also known as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau or Qingzang Plateau, is a vast elevated plateau located at the intersection of Central Asia, Central, South Asia, South, and East Asia. Geographically, it is located to the north of H ...
, Great Tibetan Sheep, species of
marmot Marmots are large ground squirrels in the genus ''Marmota'', with 15 species living in Asia, Europe, and North America. These herbivores are active during the summer, when they can often be found in groups, but are not seen during the winter, w ...
- '' Marmota himalayana'' (in large numbers seen on the hill slopes surrounding the lake and also along the roadsides), species of
hare Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores and live Solitary animal, solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are precociality, able to fend for themselves ...
- ''
Lepus Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The genu ...
'' ''oistolus'', species of
vole Voles are small rodents that are relatives of lemmings and hamsters, but with a stouter body; a longer, hairy tail; a slightly rounder head; smaller eyes and ears; and differently formed molars (high-crowned with angular cusps instead of lo ...
- '' Alticola roylei'', 3 species of mouse hares ('' Ochotona macrotis'', '' Ochotona curzoniae'' or Tibetan sand fox and '' Scincella ladacensis''). *
Avifauna Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweight ...
: The lake supports thirty-four bird species, including fourteen waterbird varieties, several of which are vulnerable or endangered. Notable among these are the endangered
black-necked crane The black-necked crane (''Grus nigricollis'') is a medium-sized crane (bird), crane in Asia that breeds on the Tibetan Plateau and remote parts of India and Bhutan. It is long with a wingspan, and it weighs . It is whitish-gray, with a black h ...
s (''grus nigricollis''), the bar-headed geese (''anser indicus'') - which finds its only Indian breeding ground here,
brown-headed gull The brown-headed gull (''Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus'') is a small gull which breeds in the high plateaus of central Asia from Tajikistan to Ordos in Inner Mongolia. It is migratory, wintering on the coasts and large inland lakes of the India ...
s (''larus brunnicephalus''),
great crested grebe The great crested grebe (''Podiceps cristatus'') is a member of the grebe family of water birds. The bird is characterised by its distinctive appearance, featuring striking black, orange-brown, and white plumage, and elaborate courtship displa ...
(''podiceps cristatus''),
Ferruginous pochard The ferruginous duck (''Aythya nyroca''), also known as ferruginous pochard, common white-eye or white-eyed pochard, is a medium-sized diving duck from Eurosiberia. The scientific name is derived from the Ancient Greek word, (), an unknown se ...
, black-necked grebe (''podiceps nigricollis'').


Conservation

Tso Moriri Wetland Conservation Reserve, a Ramsar site, is legally protected with hunting prohibitions enforced by a wildlife checkpoint at Mahe Bridge. Conservation efforts combine scientific research, community engagement, and institutional support: Conservation of High Altitude Wetlands in Ladakh *
World Wildlife Fund The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is a Swiss-based international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the ...
-India leads conservation through its Korzok field office, conducting ecological surveys and awareness programs while developing sustainable tourism models and environmental management systems. *
Wildlife Institute of India The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is an autonomous natural resource service institution established in 1982 under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate change, Government of Indi ...
maintains a Leh research station supporting scientific studies. * Local communities have implemented habitat protection measures including traditional fencing and cleanup operations. * Tso Moriri Conservation Trust and 20 school nature clubs promote environmental education. * Indian Army has establish a Nature Interpretation Centre in Leh. * Key achievements include the community's 2000 declaration of Tso Moriri as a 'Sacred Gift for a Living Planet' and restrictions on vehicular access through stakeholder consultation.


Issues and threats

Threats to Tso Moriri's ecosystem include increasing tourist numbers disrupting avifauna breeding, road construction along the shoreline, and pasture degradation impacting marmots, hares and ungulates. Additional pressures come from expanding sheep grazing in wetlands, inadequate garbage disposal, and unleashed dogs preying on cranes and their eggs. Unregulated jeep safaris harass wildlife like
kiang The kiang (''Equus kiang'') is the largest of the ''Asinus'' subgenus. It is native to the Tibetan Plateau in Ladakh India, northern Pakistan, Tajikistan, China and northern Nepal. It inhabits montane grasslands and shrublands. Other common nam ...
and encroach on breeding grounds, compounded by insufficient government monitoring and enforcement.


See also

*
Geography of Ladakh Ladakh is an administrative territory of India that has been under its control since 1947. The geographical region of Ladakh union territory is the highest altitude plateau region in India (much of it being over 3,000 m), incorporatin ...
* Tourism in Ladakh *
Karzok Karzok or Korzok (at an altitude of 14,995 ft or 4,570 m to 15,075 ft or 4,595 m above sea level), on the northwestern shores of the Tso Moriri lake, is a village in the Rupshu region and Community development block in India, block of ...
, major habitation on the northwest shore of Tso Moriri *
Soda lake A soda lake or alkaline lake is a lake on the strongly base (chemistry), basic side of neutrality, typically with a pH, pH value between 9 and 12. They are characterized by high concentrations of carbonate salts, typically sodium carbonate (and ...
, alkaline lake


References


External links


Tso Moriri Travel Guide
* Government of Jammu & Kashmir, Department of Wildlife Protection, Wildlife Division (LAHDC), Leh Ladakh (Undated): Tso Moriri Wetland Conservation Reserve (The Wildlife Guide) * Rizvi, J. (1996) Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, India

{{Authority control Lakes of Ladakh Ramsar sites in India Protected areas of India Tourism in Ladakh