KHAJJIAR WETLAND
Himachal Pradesh 		      
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    INTRODUCTION
Khajjiar wetland is a part of the Ravi basin, located in the north-east of Dalhousie town, Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. Khajjiar is situated at an altitude of 1900mts. above mean sea level. Water body is in the center of gently rolling meadows covered with lush green grass. Beautiful glade is surrounded by a thick cover of deodar forest. A few streamlets enter the water-body crossing through the saucer shaped glade and feeding the discharge into the wetland mainly from the rainwater and snow melt water. It receives a high volume of surface runoff water during rainy season. It is presumed that wetland is fed by perennial natural sources of ground water in the center, maintains its water level. The scenic beauty of the area earned Khajjiar the name of the Mini-Switzerland. The Geographical location of Khajjiar wetland is Latitude 32°32'N Longitude 76°4'E. The area of the water body is about 4500 sq. m. The total Catchment area of Khajjiar wetland is 6 Square Km.
   CLIMATE  
The area receives rain during monsoon and snow/rain during the winter season. Rains peaks in July, averaging 350 cm in the month and snow is maximum during the month of Janaury. Temperature in Khajjiar area varies from sub zero in the winter to 32oC during summmer. Wind of 6-11kms/hour speed can be generally felt in the area, occasionally rising to about 30kms per hour.
   GEOLOGY  
 Khajjiar is situated on the western extremity of Dhaludhar range of the Western Himalayas, the area is mainly comprised of Silurian rocks slates, schist and conglomerate. These rocks are underlined by granite, gneiss and quartzite. The strata is conventionally known as Dalhousie Granite forming part of Dhauldhar Granite.
    SOCIAL & CULTURAL VALUES
The Khajjiar wetland named after the Khajji Nag Temple. The temple is located in the glade of Khajjiar wetland. For the local people this wetland holds sacredness and they believe that it is unfathomable.The large number of people residing in the vicinity of the wetland depand on it for livehood, they mainly involved in tourism activities like horse ridding for tourists, hotelier occupation etc. The live stock of the near by villages are also depend upon the wetland for grazing purpose. The sheep, cows, mules are the main grazers of the Khajjiar wetland glade grass.
   FLORA AND FAUNA
The floristic composition of the Kalatop-Khajjiar area varies from Chil Pine (Pinus roxburghii) with a mixture of Ban Oak in the lower zone to pure Deodar inthe middle reaches which culminates in to mixed of Deodar, Fir and Spruce with some pasture towards Dainkund area. Some of the medicinal plants like Patish, Barian, Chora, Shafoo, Rasount, Juhi, Asmani booti, Karu, Kaur, Salam misri, Kuth, Barhmi, Banfasha and Ashwagandha are in abundance. The portion of the lake is infested by weeds and has become marshy and swampy due to deposition of silt and other bio-mass from its catchment area. The weed species like Typha, Thalia geniculata, Echinodorus trialatus, Polygonum hydrocotyle Maralles gundripolia, Paspalum rapens, Hydrocotyle rapunculoides are prevelent in and around the wetland. The forest around the area abounds in wildlife. At higher elevation near the snow line one may find the Leopard, Himalayan Fox, Black Bear, Stripped Hyena, Goral, Barking Deer, Hanuman Languor, Rhesus Monkey, Flying squirrel etc. Birds like Black Eagle, Cinereous Vulture, Himalyan Griffon, Egyptian Valture, Lammergeier, Himalyan Monal, Kalij Pheasant, Koklass, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Oriental Turtle Dove, Plum-headed Parakeet, Slaty - headed Parakeet, Eurasian Cuckoo, Asian Barred Owlet, Large-tailed Nightjar, House Swift, Great Barbet, Scaly bellied Woodpeckers, Grey-headed Woodpeckers, Himalayan Woodpeckers, Red-rumped swallow, Black bulbul, Variegated laughing thrush, Streaked Laughing thrush, Rufous Sibia, Dark-sided Flycatcher, Common Chiffchaff, Greenish Warbler, Golden-spectacled Warbler, Plumbeuous Water Redstart, Spotted Fork tail, Grey Bushchat, White- capped Water Redstart, Blue-capped Rock Thrush, Chestnet-bellied Rock Thrush, White-collared Blackbird, Grey-winged Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Great Tit, Green-backed Tit,Spot-winged Tit, Black-throated Tit, White-cheeked Nuthatch, Bar-tailed Treecreeper, House Sparrow, Russet Sparrow, Black-and-yellow Grosbeak, Yellow- Breasted Greenfinch, Rock Bunting, Crested Bunting.

 

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