Jammu and Kashmir eco parks are territories which primarily aim to protect the ecosystem. These protected areas also serve as recreational centers and allow public entrance. The state of Jammu and Kashmir is considered to be a heaven on earth for its extraordinary scenic beauty. The state has always been one of the most favorite tourist spots in the world and the eco parks add more attraction to the state. Jammu and Kashmir is also quite famous for having a rich variety of natural resources and providing natural habitat to numerous important species of flora and fauna. There are a number of eco parks located in the state and Jammu and Kashmir that play an important role in preserving the state`s rich wildlife. The eco parks are being managed by both private and government organizations and they attract a number of tourists to the state.

Different Jammu and Kashmir Eco Parks
Baramulla Eco Park is located in the Khadniyar region of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir. Well maintained gardens and exquisite wooden huts are major attractions of Baramulla Eco Park. Majestic mountains form the background of the park. Two of the popular national parks in India namely, the Dachigam National Park and the Hemis National Park are situated in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Dachigam National Park is situated about 22 kilometers from Srinagar. It is spread over an area of about 141 square kilometers. Hemis National Park is situated in eastern Ladakh region. It was established in 1981 and occupies an area of about 4,400 square kilometers. Two wildlife sanctuaries in Jammu and Kashmir are Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary and Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary.

Flora and Fauna of Jammu and Kashmir Eco Parks
The initiative of preserving wildlife in Jammu and Kashmir was started during the middle half of the twentieth century. Almost all Jammu and Kashmir eco parks have been established after the Independence of India. These eco parks are famous worldwide for being situated at a high altitude that ranges from 3,000 to 14,000 m. The parks are spread across all the regions of the state and are quite rich in vegetation. They also contain several plant species that have medicinal and commercial values.

Jammu and Kashmir eco parks are preserving several endangered, critically endangered, threatened and endemic animal species, and some of them are famous worldwide. The most notable mammals found in Jammu and Kashmir eco parks include the snow leopard, hill fox, Himalayan black bear, brown bear, Himalayan tahr, leopard, yellow-throated marten, leopard-cat, serow, goral, musk deer, Himalayan marmot, wild boar, jackal, wolf, red fox, wild dog (dliole), pallas`s cat, red fox, bharal (blue sheep), ibex, Ladakh urial (shapu), Tibetan argali, long-tailed marmot, Himalayan mouse, etc.

Jammu and Kashmir eco parks also provide natural habitat to a huge variety of bird species and some of them are exclusively found in these parks. The bird species can be classified as resident birds and migratory birds. The important resident birds found in the parks include Himalayan snowcock, Tibetan partridge, chukar, horned lark, snow pigeon, hill pigeon, red-billed chough, yellow-billed chough, black-billed magpie, common raven, white-tailed rubythroat, bluethroat, mountain cliiffchaff, grey wagtail, robin accentor, alpine accentor, tibetan snowfmch, rock bunting, lammergeier, Himalayan griffon, golden eagle, common kestrel, northern goshawk, tawny owl, etc.

Reptiles like snakes, turtles, crocodiles and tortoises are also found in the Jammu and Kashmir eco parks.