Flora & Fauna of Bhutan

Bhutan is listed as one of the top 10 biodiversity hot spots in the world. Bhutan has a total forest coverage of over 72% of the country's total area and its mandate by the constitution to maintain 60% under forest coverage for all times to come.

Though Bhutan is a small country we do have a wide range of elevation. It starts with 100msl at the southern part to eternally frozen peaks in the north with just a 120 km crow flight.

Bhutan has 5500 vascular plants of which 129 and endemic to Bhutan.

47 species of Rhododendrons

400 species of Lichens

430 species of Orchids

200 species of mushrooms

200 species of mamals

770 species of birds

55 species of snakes

19 species of Lizards

800-900 species of Butterflies

Bhutan also has a good number of endangered speices such as Royal Bengal Tiger, Red Panda, Takin, Golden Langur, Black Necked Cranes, White Bellied Herons etc. And Yeti  (Migo) is strongly believed to exist by many people across the Himalayas but it has remained elusive to science. 

Sub Tropical Lowland

Vegetation

The vegetation found here are mainly lowland hardwood and broadleaf deciduous and evergreen forest consisting of a wide range of plants including the rare and endangered aloe wood (Aquilaria algalocha)

Animals

The animals that are found here includes Elephants, Rhino, Bengal tiger, clouded leopard, golden langur, Indian gaur, and Black Panther

Birds

There are easily around 500 bird species found in this zone including some endangered bird species such as Rufous-necked hornbill, Great hornbill and White-Rumped Vulture

Temperate Midland

Vegetation

The lower part has evergreen broadleaf and chirpine and the middle part has blue pine, oak, maple, cypress. And on the higher side Fir, Spruce, Larch, Rhododendrons, Juniper, etc. 

Animals

The animals that are found here are Red panda, Himalayan Black bear, Leopard, Boar, Dear Monkey etc

Alpine Highland

Vegetation

There is not much vegetation found here as the climate is very harsh. And some of the plants that are found here include stunted junipers, rhododendrons, and a lot of medicinal herbs including cordyceps.

Animals                          

Some of the animals that are found in this zone are marmot, blue sheep, snow leopard, musk deer, and Takin.