The Northwestern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion of the elevations of the northwestern Himalaya of China, India, and Pakistan.

Setting

Northwestern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows cover 49400 sqkm at elevations between 3300 and 3600 m in the northwestern Himalayas. They are found in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir in northwestern India and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan in northern Pakistan.

Flora

This ecoregion's flora is composed mostly of krummholz and herbaceous plants. Various rhododendrons live in the scrub habitat near timberline, as do junipers and birches. Although several species of rhododendron are recorded in this ecoregion, they are represented by a lesser greater diversity than in the eastern Himalaya, where 60 species are reported in the Northeastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests. Genera of herbaceous plants include Doronicum, Delphinium, Gentiana, Meconopsis, Pedicularis, Anemone, Aster, Polygonum, Primula, and Mertensia. Scree habitats include Caragana, Saxifraga, Draba, and Gypsophila.

Fauna

Eighty mammals species are reported in this ecoregion. It contains prime habitat for the snow leopard and the Tibetan wolf. Other mammals include the ibex, markhor, blue sheep, tahr, and Himalayan marmot. There are 172 bird species in this ecoregion. Important birds include the lammergeier, golden eagle, Himalayan griffon vulture, snow partridge, Tibetan snowcock, and Himalayan snowcock.

Conservation

This ecoregion is well preserved because of high elevation, difficult climate, and lack of trees. Protected areas include: