TRANSHUMANT HERDERS OF THE INDIAN HIMALAYAN REGION: LIVELIHOODS, ECOLOGICAL ROLES, AND CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23854/07199562.2026621.kumarKeywords:
transhumance, Himalayan pastoralism, Gujjar-Bakarwal, Gaddi, Changpa, alpine meadows, bugyal, pastoral rights, Forest Rights Act, climate changeAbstract
The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) supports several distinct transhumant pastoral communities whose seasonal migrations between lowland winter pastures and high-altitude summer grazing grounds have shaped ecological and cultural landscapes for centuries. The study identifies six main groups which include Gujjar Bakarwal Gaddi Bhotia Changpa Van Gujjar and other communities who inhabit the regions of Jammu and Kashmir Ladakh Himachal Pradesh Uttarakhand and the northeastern hills. The paper uses published ethnographic studies and ecological survey literature and government reports to analyze migration patterns and herd management practices and livelihood systems and biodiversity maintenance. The study analyzes different kinds of pressures which cause system instability and assesses whether current policies can effectively address these challenges. The paper presents transhumant pastoralism as an environmentally sustainable practice which requires specialized policy backing.
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