Bhutan features a tremendous diversity of plants and animals living in a range of ecosystems from subtropical forest barely above sea level to snowbound mountains above 7500m. The country’s various habitats are believed to contain over 5500 species of plants, and close to 200 species of mammals and over 600 species of birds.

Each year Bhutan’s extensive bird list grows longer, a consequence of Bhutan’s rich biodiversity and the small amount of systematic birding that has been done in the kingdom. Nevertheless, over 770 birds species have been recorded and bird-watching tours are extremely popular,and that include 16 globally threatened species,and rare and endemic species like golden langoor also roam the jungles of Bhutan.

Bhutan is rightly famous for its wintering populations of the vulnerable black-neckedcrane. Less well known as the winter populations, mainly as solitary individuals, of endangered white-bellied heron, for which there are about 15 records in 2005, in the area of Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang.

Some bird species are even more transient ,migrating through Bhutan between Tibet and northern India in autumn and spring.Pailas’ fish eagle, which is considered rare,is regularly seen migrating up the Punak Chhu near Wangdue Phodrang sping.It is often in the company of ospreys, a wild range of ducks waders such the pied avocet, and other species that breed in Tibet.

Winter brings numerous species down to lower altitudes,including accentors ,rosefinches,grosbeaks,snow pigeons and pheasantand such as the satyr trangopan, the Himalayan monal and the blood pheasant. Observant early-morning walkers can often find these on the mountains and passes around Thimphu. In summer many lowland species move to higher altitudes to breed; these species include the exotic-looking hoopoe,various species of minivets,cuckoos(one can commonly hear at least five different species calling),barbets,warblers,sunbirds,fulvettas and yuhinas.

Given the density of forest cover and the steep vertical descents, the road is often the best place from which to spot birds. Recommended stretches include the road down from Dochu La to Wangdue Phodrang( the adventurous can take the old trail, which is ever better),from Wangdue Phodrang to Nobding (on the way to Pele La), and before Trongsa .For those who go east,the 2000m descent between Sengor and Lingmethang is spectacular.Ward’s trongon and the Rufous-necked hornbill have been recorded in this area. Trekking will provide you with a greater chance of seeing high-altitude birds,including the lammergeyer,the Himalayan griffon, the raven, the unique high-altitude wader-the ibisbill-and colourful pheasants.

Large mammals abound in the wilds of Bhutan,but unless you are trekking or until Royal manas National Park is opened up you will be very lucky to see more than a few examples.The neighbourhood of Royal Manas is home to a large varity of well-known south Asian game species,water buffalo,gaur,serow,wild pig and several species of deer,sambar,muntjac,chital,and hog.It is also the best place to see Asian elephants and the very rare greater one-horned rhinoceros.

On the high trails you may well be lucky enough to spot herds of blue sheep, or bharal.Blue sheep are goat –antelopes, taxonomically somewhere between goats and sheep, that turn a bluish-grey in winter and are found from 1800m to 4300m. Other mammals that prefer the high life include wolves, yaks and the diminutive,unusual musk deer. The male’s musk gland is a highly valued perfume ingredient and this secretive deer is a target for indiscriminate poaching.Fat marmots whistle as you pass their burrows in the high alpine pastures and the curious takins can be seen in north western and far north eastern Bhutan.However,the most likely place to see a tarkin is in the Motithang Takin Preserve in Thimphu.

Several species of monkeys are found in Bhutan and some of these are active throughout the days and may be seen not far from villages or a main road-so keep an eye on the roadside trees on those long drives.Most common are the Assamese macaques ;reddish brown,stumpy-tailed monkeys travelling on the ground in troops of 10 to 15 individuals. They are found throughout Bhutan up to2900m.Rhesus macaques are similar and are the dominant monkey of the Indian planes.In Bhutan the bold rhesus is confined to the southern foothills.

Langurs are elegent,arboreal monkeys with graceful limbs and extraordinarily long tails and a charismatic presence.Three species of langur make a home in Bhutan’s forests- up to 3600m in altitude, and usually high up in the forest canopy.The common grey or Hanuman langur is found west of Pele La;while e famous golden langur is only found from the Puna Tsang Chhu in the west to the Manas Chhu in the east. This beautiful primate’s existences was not even known to the scientific community until the 20th century.Not surprisingly,its distinctive feature is its golden coat.

Several species of cat,ranging from the moggy-sized jungle cat to the power-ful tiger,prowl the forests, valleys and mountains of Bhutan.The other cats are the Asiatic golden cat,marbled cat, pallas cat, leopard cat, fishing cat, lynx, clouded leopard, common leopard and the enigmatic snow leopard.

With its extraordinarily beautiful dappled silver coat, the snow leopard has been hunted relentlessly throughout its range and is now in danger of extinction. This elusive cat is almost entirely solitary, largely because a single animal’s hunting territory is so vast and its prey is so scarce throughout its high-altitude habitat. However, when its favourite prey, the blue sheep, migrates to lower valleys in winter, the snow leopard follows.The essentially solitary tiger is a symbol of great reverence in bhutan. They number probably around 100 animals, mostly concentrated in and around Royal Manas National Park, though tigers may be found throughout Bhutan, even at high altitudes (3900m), and so far north as Jigme Dorji National Park.

There are two species of bear found in Bhutan. The omnivorous Himalayan black bear is a bane to farmers growing corn and fruit near the temperate forests (1200m to 3500m) it frequents, whereas the sloth bear is principally a termite eater and honey

The red panda is known in Bhutan as aamchu donkha and is most commonly found near Pele La, Thrumshing La and parts of Gasa district. It is bright-chestnut coloured, about 50cm long, including its bushy, banded tial, and has a white face. The red panda is nocturnal, sleeping in trees during the day and coming to the ground to forage on bamboo and raid bird’s nests at night.

An amazing array of plants grow in Bhutan; over 5000 species, including more than 600 species of orchid, 300 species of medicinal plants and over 50 species of spectacular rhododendrons.

Forests are found up to 4500m and serve not only as a source of fuel, timber and herbs, but also as a cultural resource, as they form the basis of many folk songs and ritual offerings. Though the government policy is to maintain at least 60% of the land as forest, the present ratio is higher, with a remarkable 72% of the country covered in forests of mixed conifers and broadleaf species.