Wildlife
Bhutan is a country steeped in Buddhist tradition where hunting and fishing are not part of the customs: here, there is no question of killing an animal. To eat fish, you have to wait for the rivers to overflow during floods and dump their local fish on the shores! The abundant Bhutanese fauna is thus particularly well preserved and the species serve above all as a larder for large predators. The biotope differs according to geographical areas. In the south, the subtropical forests offer a popular refuge for Asian elephants, clouded leopards, leopards and Indian rhinoceroses (very rare, they have only one horn), but also tigers, a feline that is particularly protected and venerated in Bhutan. There are also buffaloes, wild boars, gaurs and gavials, a species of crocodile that is also endangered. In the north, on the Himalayan plateaus, yaks, takins (Bhutan's national animal, halfway between cattle and goats), snow leopards, bharals, wolves and musk deer cohabit with mountain goats and marmots. And in the temperate zones, we come across red pandas, langurs (from the same family as monkeys), tigers and black bears.
With more than 700 species of birds, the Himalayan kingdom is also a bird-watching paradise. Bhutan is on the route of many migratory birds, including the black-necked crane, typical of the Tibetan plateau, one of the most endangered species in the world. It is estimated that more than 300 of them hibernate in the Thunder Dragon Country from late October to mid-February each year in the central and eastern valleys. Less well known but equally rare, the imperial heron and the Pallas eagle also cross the country in winter. In summer, cuckoos, swifts, bearded vultures, warblers, bee-eaters, ravens, drongos are added to the rare species, which include Himalayan vultures, fishing eagles, hornbills, wood snipe, Blyth's kingfishers, satyric tragopans and colourful pheasants.The flora
With more than 7,000 varieties of plants, including 300 species of medicinal plants, 50 types of rhododendrons and 600 species of orchids, Bhutan has a particularly lush natural environment. Three-quarters of the country is covered with forests, which can be found at altitudes of up to 4,500 metres. While at lower altitudes, vegetation has been largely cleared for cattle breeding and agriculture, sculpting landscapes of pasture and rice terraces, the valleys abound with forests of cypress, oak, birch, maple, magnolia and rhododendron, which, in spring, are adorned with yellow, pink and red flowers. Raise your eyes and you will see that orchids and ferns grow on these green giants! From 2,000 metres upwards, conifers coexist with Himalayan pines and junipers. As soon as the snow melts, wild flowers appear on the high plateaus: edelweiss, primrose, forget-me-nots, larkspur, or Himalayan blue poppy, the national flower of Bhutan, whose bluish petals can be seen from May to July.
National parks
A veritable oxygen reservoir alongside its Chinese and Indian neighbours, Bhutan has one of the world's most preserved ecosystems. The country's topography, low population density and controlled tourism policy allow natural resources to remain virtually untouched. Aware of the fragility and richness of this exceptional natural heritage, the authorities have set themselves the goal of maintaining a minimum of 60% forest cover and wooded areas throughout the country. In order to preserve the local culture and traditions of the populations living in protected areas, the government has created national parks and nature reserves which alone cover 43% of the territory. The five national parks (Royal Manas National Park, Jigme Dorji National Park, Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, Thrumshingla National Park and Thrumshingla National Park) provide natural habitats for several species of birds and animals such as the black bear, snow leopard, tiger, rhino, elephant, red panda and golden entelle. The Torsa Nature Reserve, on the border of Tibet, is the only protected area without human population, while the four sanctuaries (Phibsee, Khaling, Sakteng, Bomdeling) and the Wangchuck Centennial Park are home to animals, birds and forests (conifers, sal, rhododendrons).
An example to follow
Having made sustainable development the cornerstone of its identity, Bhutan is the country with the lowest impact on the environment. Thanks to its many forests, the small kingdom absorbs three times more CO2 than it emits. Committed to the promotion of renewable energies (solar, wind, biomass), the country of the Thunder Dragon claims to produce 100% of its electricity thanks to its power plants. It also holds the world record for the number of trees (nearly 50,000) planted per hour. In 2016, when the Crown Prince was born, 108,000 seeds were sown throughout the kingdom. In 2020, Bhutan is expected to make the use of pesticides strictly forbidden and will thus become the first country in the world with 100% organic agriculture. The main challenge today for this forward-looking country is to successfully combine economic development and environmental conservation. Hence the desire to encourage the development of regulated tourism by limiting the number of visitors and their ecological impact.
