Tso Kar Lake- Location and Biodiversity

Key notes

  • Tso Kar is a high-altitude lake in Ladakh.
  • It is located in the Rupshu Plateau.
  • It is a Ramsar Site of India.

  • Tso Kar is a wetland complex consisting of:

    • Tso Kar lake.
    • Startsapuk Tso.
    • Associated marshes and wetlands.
  • The lake is saline or hypersaline in character.

  • It is important for migratory birds, especially:

    • Black-necked crane.
    • Bar-headed goose.
    • Tibetan wild ass habitat in the wider landscape.
  • Tso Kar means “White Lake”.
  • It is part of the cold desert ecosystem.
  • Conservation concerns include water scarcity, tourism pressure and climate change.