Re: What types of vegetation are found on Mt. K2 in the Karakoram range (India)

Mike Fitzsimmons asked:

1. What types of vegetation are found on Mt. K2 in the Karakoram range (India)?
2. I would also like to know what type of animal life is found on this mountain and in this range.

My answer to these questions is in four parts:

• General information
• Vegetation
• Animals
• From a magazine article
• WWW sites

First some general information about K2 from the Encyclopaedia Britannica:

"K2, also called Mount Godwin Austin, called locally Dapsang and Chogori, the world's second highest peak (28,251 ft), second only to Mount Everest. K2 forms part of the Karakoram Range (Himalayas) and lies in the Gilgit-Ladakh district on the western side of the Indian-Pakistani line of control in Jammu and Kashmir; it is thus presently under Pakistini administration. The glacier- and snow-covered mountain rises from its base at about 15,000 ft on the Godwin Austin Glacier, a tributary of the Baltoro Glacier."

And this is what the Encyclopaedia has to say about the vegetation:

Up to 7,000 feet, woodlands of deodar (Indian cedar), blue pine, walnut, willow, elm and poplars occur; from 7,000 feet to 10,500 feet coniferous foests with fir, pine, and spruce are found; from 10,500 to 12,000 feet birch is dominant; and above 12,000 feet there are meadows with rhododendrons and dwarf willows as well as honeysuckle.

"The high-altitude vegetation of the northern and southern slopes of the Karakorams is varied. On the northern slopes, at altitudes of 7,900 to 9,200 feet on the rocky desert soil, a complex of plant combinations of such species as flowering plants of the genus Kalidium, and horsetail (genus Equisetum) has developed. In this area it is not uncommon to encounter vast expanses completely devoid of vegetation. Only at the source of the Yarkand River (Tarim Bais) and its tributaries up to altitudes of 10,000 feet is there enough moisture to support individual thickets of brushwood (mainly barberry) and poplars.

In the central part of the northern slope, at altitudes of 8,500-10,200 feet, a desert-steppe landscape is developed, with vegetation consisting of sparse thicks of coarse grasses and wintergreen. At altitudes of 10,500-11,500 a mountain steppe predominates, and, in places that are most humid and well sheltered from winds, there are prairie steppes. Still higher up are found high-altitude expanses of wintergreen, wormwood, and meadows of desert-like plants. Sparse combinations of wintergreen and prickly herbs of the genus Acanthus are located on the coarse soils near the arable-land zone. On the moister southern slopes, more extensive and varied vegetation is found. Valleys up to 10,000-11,500 feet support forests of pine, Himalayan cedar, and near streams, willows and poplars. Higher up, high-altitude steppes, rather like typical alpine meadows predominate.

And about the animals:

"Notable animals of the region include the snow leopard, wild yak, and Tibetan antelope; in the southern foothills wild asses are also found. There are a great number of pikas and marmots. Among birds, the Pallas sand grouse, Tibetan capercaillie, partridge, ibis white dove, and red brambling are characteristic."

"Wild animals inlclude ibex, urial (a species of wild sheep with a reddish coat), the rare hangul or Kashmir stag found in the Dachhingam game sanctuary, black and brown bears, and many game birds including vast numbers of migratory duck."

Crompton's Encyclopeadia says:

"Elephants, bison, and rhinoceroses inhabit the forested lower slopes of the Outer Himalayas. The snow leopard, brown bear, red panda, and Tibetan yak are found above the tree line--above 10,000 feet (3,050 meters). The black bear, langur monkey, clouded leopard, and goat antelope live in the foothills. Several animal species, such as the rhinoceros, musk deer, and Kashmir stag, or hangul, at the point of extinction are now protected in several national parks and sanctuaries. There are catfish in most Himalayan streams, and butterflies are extremely varied and beautiful."

A magazine article:

The January-March issue of Australian Geographic (they have a site here) has a story by Greg Child about an expedition to climb K2. The story is mostly about the climb, and the problems they faced, but it has a couple of maps of the area and several photographs of the mountain. From the photographs it is obvious that it is a very harsh region and very little appears to actually live on or near K2 itself.

WWW sites with interesting information about the Himalayas

To find out some more about this region, try the following links:

• Rajesh Shrestha's "Shangri La" site about the Himalayan region.
• A "fact sheet" on the Jammu and Kashmir regions from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre.
• The asian exhibit at the Lowry Park Zoo (the zoo home page is here).