Tsomoriri

Overview
Tsomoriri, one of the highest lakes in the world, lies in the Changthang (literally meaning, northern plains) region, between 4000-5000m altitude. Changthang's most striking feature is the absence of a consistent slope, which would enable water to drain away. Rather the undulating land forms itself into huge basins, into which snowmelt streams flow, and finding no outlet settle into the great brackish lakes, like Tsomoriri. Tsomoriri which is a fresh to brackish water lake, spread over an area of about 120 sq.km. with a maximum depth of 40 m. Wet meadows and borax loaded wetlands covering around 10 sq.km. border its northern and southern shores. Tsomoriri has been designated as a Ramsar Site in November 2002.

Justification for Designation as Ramsar Site
Tsomoriri is a unique example of a wetland type in the Trans-himalayan biogeographic zone.
Unique faunal assemblages with high diversity, endemism and number of rare orvulnerable species including at least 3 bird species: blacknecked crane, Grus nigricollis (Endangered.), ferruginous pochard, Aythya nyroca (Vulnerable), blacknecked grebe, Podiceps nigricollis (Rare), species of large ungulates the great Tibetan sheep, Ovis ammon hogdsoni (Vulnerable) and Tibetan wild ass, Equus kiang (Data Defi cient) both endemic to the Tibetan plateau plus possibly a third, the Tibetan gazelle, Procapra picticaudata (Threatened). Also included are a number of smaller herbivore species endemic to the region: one species of vole, Alticola roylei, three species of mouse hares, Ochotona macrotis, O.curzoniae, O.ladacensis, one species of hare, Lepus oistolus and one species of marmot, Marmota himalayana.
Vital role as breeding grounds and key staging posts on migration routes for over 40 species of water birds belonging to 6 families (Podicipedidae, Ardeidae, Anatidae, Gruidae, Charadriidae and Sternidae plus the two raptor families Accipitridae & Falconidae) indicative of wetland diversity and productivity.

Biodiversity Values

Flora
There does not appear to be any vegetation in the deeper parts of the lake, but in the shallower areas Potamogeton sps., have been reported. Various species of sedges and reeds grow in the marshes, notably Carex, Caragana and Astragalus sps., typical of the surrounding arid steppe vegetation.

The phytoplankton were limited to a species of and a few specimens of the diatom Cyclotella were also recorded.

Fauna
Tsomoriri and Tsokar wetlands represent the only breeding ground of the barheaded goose, Anser indicus in India and the only breeding ground for the globally threatened blacknecked crane, Grus nigricollis, outside China. Other than the barheaded goose, the main waterbird species breeding in the area include: the ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea, common redshank Tringa totanus, brownheaded gull, Larus brunnicephalus, lesser sand plover, Charadrius mongolus and greatcrested grebe, Podiceps cristatus. Of the smaller mammals, marmots (the Himalayan marmot) are plentiful on the hill slopes surrounding the lakes and even along roadsides are also present.

Social & Cultural Values
The wetland provides rich pastures for domestic livestock. The area has recently been opened to foreign tourists, thereby providing locals direct as well as indirect employment. Korzok monastery in Korzok village, some 400 years old attracts many tourists. The wetland is considered 'Sacred' by the local Buddhist community and at the WWF Annual Conference, Nepal, in November, 2000, Tsomoriri was pledged as a 'Sacred Gift for a Living Planet' by the local community. This was possible mainly due to WWF-India's efforts and trust building with local community.

Threats
The construction of a road right up to the lake has opened up this once remote basin for tourism and economic activities. The increased human activity is likely to affect the breeding waterfowl population.
Direct disturbance, wilful or otherwise, is another serious threat e.g. Kiang chasing by jeep safari, disturbance of the blacknecked crane in its feeding and breeding grounds.

Increasing pollution levels in areas of tourist concentration like trekking routes and campsites is gradually becoming a problem.
In the absence of garbage disposal facilities, the practice of dumping garbage into nearby streams as well as into marmot, mouse hare or vole burrows, has become quite common in recent years.
Increased pressure on grazing lands at par with the exponential rise in the numbers of trekkers and pack animals, is of particular concern since the prospects for pasture regeneration are severely limited by the extreme climatic conditions obtaining in the region. Soil compaction and deep barren jeep tracks are an increasingly common sight around popular camping grounds in Korzok (Tsomoriri) and Tsokar meadows.

Conservation Measures
Tsomoriri is administratively designated as a Wetland Reserve. Shooting wildlife is strictly prohibited. A check post has been established by the State Department of Wildlife near Mahe, bridge from where tourists enter towards the lake. Tsomoriri Conservation Trust has been formed by the local community of Korzok village with help from WWF-India to take up sustained conservation measures for protection of the wetland.