Context: As the summer tourism rush peaks, the unique animals and environment of Ladakh, particularly the Hanle Valley, are under threat from rapid development and irresponsible tourism
Hanle Valley:
- Location: Eastern Ladakh, near the Indo-China border, at an altitude of around 4,500 meters above sea level. It is part of the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Inhabitants: The valley is home to Changpa nomadic herders who rear sheep, pashmina goats, horses, and yaks.
- Wildlife: Notable species include Pallas’s cat, Tibetan sand fox, snow leopard, and black-necked crane. The sighting of these animals, particularly the Tibetan sand fox, Pallas’s cat (nicknamed the world’s grumpiest cat), and black-necked cranes, has popularized the valley.
- Development: The construction of the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve and Umling La motorable road has increased tourism. Several military outposts have also been established following recent Indo-China skirmishes.
Impacts of Irresponsible Tourism:
- Stray Dogs: The number of stray dogs has risen due to leftovers from tourists. These dogs prey on the same animals as snow leopards, such as Pallas’s cats, Tibetan sand foxes, and bar-headed geese. They also hybridize with the Tibetan wolf, diluting its gene pool.
- Rangeland Degradation: Tourists often ride over pasturelands, destroying the topsoil. Combined with global warming, this degrades rangeland health, affecting the nomadic locals.
- Irresponsible Driving: SUVs chasing animals, loud music, glaring headlights, and rash driving disturb and can even kill wildlife. Pallas’s cat is particularly vulnerable due to roads bisecting its habitat along cliff bases.
- Water Availability: The Indus River is stressed by overconsumption, irresponsible use, and retreating glaciers.
- Water Contamination: Policies mandating flush toilets result in waste contaminating water sources, exposing villagers to waterborne diseases.
- Oxygen Depletion in Water: Waste dumping leads to invertebrate population explosions, which deplete dissolved oxygen in water.
Way Forward:
- Organic Waste to Organic Manure: Producing organic manure from organic waste aligns with Ladakh’s aspiration to be an organic Union Territory.
- Limiting Tourists: Implementing a system similar to the Inner Line Permit used in the 2000s can help limit tourism’s burden on the region.