Established in 1981, to protect the decreasing population of wildlife, Hemis National Park is called the Snow Leopard Capital of India and is named after the famous monastery of Ladakh Hemis Gompa. This Park is situated at an altitudinal range of 3,300 to 6,000 meter and is the largest high attitude protected reserve of India. Indus River flows on the northern periphery, and the Park covers much of the catchments of the lower Zanskar valley. The catchments area is of Markha, Sumdah and Rumbak, and parts of the Zanskar Range.The Hemis National Park offers nature lovers a varied landscape, the mountains of various shapes and sizes, vast flatlands, cold deserts, and more. The mostly barren habitat supports an amazing variety of Indian Wildlife, including some of the rarest and endangered species. There are around 11 species of fauna, and 30 species of avifauna found in the park. The area is thinly covered and is rocky. The biome of the park consists of dry Himalayan subtropical pine forests; Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows; and Himalayan Alpine tundra.