Jijurana: State Bird of Himachal Pradesh |
- Snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is the state animal of Himachal Pradesh. Its abode restricted to the high mountains of Central Asia. It is found in the five hilly states of India, namely, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
- It is classified as ‘endangered’ by the IUCN Red List and also listed in the Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The global Snow Leopard population stands at 4,080-6,590 whereas there are only 200-600 snow leopards in India.
- In Himachal Pradesh, they are mainly concentrated in the Spiti Valley, the Pin Valley National Park, the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, the Great Himalayan National Park and the Pangi and Bharmour regions of Chamba district.
- They are known for their thick smokey-grey fur with ashy brown ringed rosettes and spots.
State Bird of Himachal Pradesh: Jujurana
- The western tragopan is the state bird of Himachal Pradesh. It is locally known as the jujurana or king of the birds. It is mainly found along the Himalayas from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan) in the west to Uttarakhand (India) in the east.
- In Himachal Pradesh, they are mainly concentrated in the regions of Chamba, Kullu and an area east of Satluj river.
- Their population across the globe is estimated to around or less than 5000. They are listed as vulnerable in IUCN Red list.
State Tree of Himachal Pradesh: Deodar
- Deodar (Cedrus deodara) is the state tree of Himachal Pradesh. It is native to the Himalayan region of the Subcontinent. In India, it is mainly found in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and some parts of West Bengal.
- It is also found in the Western Pakistan, Western Nepal and Southwestern Tibet.
- It is referred as the tree of gods and mentioned as "devadaru" in ancient Sanskrit texts.
- It is famous for its anti-fungal, insect repellent and anti-bacterial properties, which makes its extremely valuable in construction industry.
State Flower of Himachal Pradesh: Pink Rhododendron
- Pink Rhododendron is the state flower of Himachal Pradesh. According to IUCN, it comes under the endangered species of flower plants.
- In India, it is concentrated in the state northern states of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. It is found between the altitude of 2400 and 5200 m.
- It is known for its medicinal use and its leaves are used in chronic rheumatism, syphilis and sciatica. It is mixed with tabacco to treat hemicrania and cold.