Flora and Fauna of Bhutan
Home to a myriad of exotic flora and fauna that few places on the earth can match, Bhutan has around 72% of its area under forest cover. Over 5000 species of plants grow in Bhutan. These include 300 species of medicinal plants, over 50 species of rhododendron and 600 species of orchids.
The fauna includes: elephants, tigers, buffalo, one horned rhinoceros (rhinoceros unicorns), leopards (panthara pardus), gaur, red pandas, langur monkeys, wild boar, deer, white-collared black bears, yaks (bos gruniens), tahr (hemitragus jemlahicus) and goral (naemorhedus goral). Brown trout and local fishes are found in northern rivers and lakes, while in the south the rivers are full of masher.
The rare and exotic species found in Bhutan are: golden langur (found only in Bhutan), pangolin, pygmy hog, snow leopard, red pandas, wild buffalo, monal peasant, peacock peasant, raven, rufous-necked hornbill, white-bellied heron, common shelduck, ruddy duck, black necked crane, golden masheer, spotted deer, leopard, leopard cat, Himalayan black bear, serow, snow leopard, takin, musk deer, Himalayan brown bear, Himalayan marten, tiger, hornbills, pheasants, mountain goats and timid blue sheep.
About 675 species of birds have been recorded in Bhutan and more than 16 different species of birds are included in the lists of endangered species.
The Royal Manas national park, on Bhutan’s central-south border with India is the home to wild elephants, tigers,
Bird Watching
leopards, rhinoceros, guar, wild boar, wild dogs and deer. in the alpine region you will find yaks, the rare blue sheep (bharal).the alpine meadows are its home in summer while broadleaf forest is its winter base.For birders Bhutan is a veritable paradise with around seven hundred spices having been recorded. You can encounter enthusiastic bird watchers while driving through the dense woods in Bhutan. Tigers are found in High Himalayan Mountains of Bhutan.They were located as High as 4000m (13,000ft)
The discovery of tigers living at altitude in Bhutan could be crucial to one scheme proposed to help save the species from extinction.
Red Panda
