Wolf Scouting in Upper Dolpa 2015
Upper Dolpa consists of beautifully wild and vast mountains inhabited by adapted mountain people and animals. The aim of this years expedition was to scout the area for wolf presence and get first impressions on wolf perception by locals. A large part of upper Dolpa lies within Shey-Phoksundo National Park which is the largest National Park in Nepal covering an area of 3’555 km2 in Dolpa and Mugu District. A scenic landmark are the turquoise waters of Phoksundo Lake surrounded by some coniferous forest and steep cliffs. The sedimentary lines from the Tethys Sea are prominently drawn into the steep and high mountain slopes.
After crossing the pass to Shey Gompa you dive into an arid landscape of large mountains and barren lands. But even in these dry and harsh lands tiny botanical beauties keep on praising the sun.
Phoksundo Lake in upper Dolpa astonishes with its colour. No fish inhabit the lake.
Gentiana sp. – a tiny beauty in the barren lands
The habitat appears equally good for both snow leopards Uncia uncia and wolves, with frequent blue sheep Pseudois nayaur observed in the hill slopes. And so it did not take long to find the first wolves.
Blue sheep Pseudois nayaur take advantage of the last green vegetation at this height before the winter.
An adult Himalayan wolf Canis sp.