UNESCO designated the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve in India – as part of 26 new sites – to UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).

• This designation brings India’s total to 13 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, joining a global network of 785 sites.
• Also, São Tomé and Príncipe – a Central African island nation – becomes the first State to have its entire territory designated as a biosphere reserve.

About Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve

• Location: This is India’s first high-altitude cold desert biosphere reserve and one of the coldest and driest ecosystems in UNESCO’s WNBR. 
  • It is located in Himalayas and stretches from Ladakh (comprising Leh and Kargil Districts) in north to Kinnaur (Spiti valley and Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh) in South. 
• Protected Areas: It covers the Pin Valley National Park and its surroundings, Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Biome: It constitutes a Cold Desert biome with harsh climatic conditions, attributed to two factors – location on leeward side of Himalayas (making it a rain-shadow zone) and very high elevation. 
• Culture: Distinct Buddhist culture dominates the region with presence of:
  • Gompas (Buddhist monasteries), Chorten (remarkable type of stupas) and Mani Walls (long and thick platform like row of stones).
  • Buddhist Chanting of Ladakh, inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
• Fauna: Snow Leopard, Himalayan Ibex, Blue Sheep, Himalayan Wolf, Golden Eagle etc.