From the geology of the More Plains, it can be concluded that the Tso Kar in historical times ranged up to this high valley.

Until a few years ago the lake was an important source of salt, which the Changpa nomads used to export to Tibet.

[5] The inlets of the Tso Kar are a source of non-saline water; pondweeds and basic nettles grow there, forming floating islands of vegetation in the spring and dying off in the winter.

There are large breeding colonies of grebes and brown-headed gulls, and some bar-headed geese, ruddy shelducks and terns.

[7][8] Currently the lake basin has no special protection, but there are plans to include it within a national park which may be established in the highlands of south-eastern Ladakh.