Kinnaur’s steep valleys and varying altitudes support incredible biodiversity, protected under several wildlife sanctuaries.
* **Rakchham Chitkul Wildlife Sanctuary:** Located in the Baspa Valley, this sanctuary is home to the Himalayan black bear, brown bear, musk deer, and the elusive snow leopard. * **Rupi Bhaba Wildlife Sanctuary:** Spanning a wide altitudinal range, it features dense forests and alpine meadows, sheltering blue sheep (bharal) and various pheasants like the Western Tragopan. * **Lipa Asrang Wildlife Sanctuary:** Known for its high-altitude flora and fauna, protecting species adapted to the cold desert ecosystem. * **Flora:** The lower valleys feature dense forests of deodar, pine, and oak, which transition into alpine meadows and eventually barren cold-desert landscapes near the Tibetan border.
