Makalu Barun
Encyclopedia
Makalu Barun National Park is the eighth national park in the Himalayas
of Nepal
and was established in 1992 as eastern extension of the Sagarmatha National Park
. Covering an area of 1500 km² (579.2 sq mi) in the districts of Solukhumbu
and Sankhuwasabha
it is the world's only protected area with an elevation gain of more than 8000 m (26,246.7 ft) enclosing tropical forest as well as snow-capped peaks.
The northern border of the national park coincides with the international border to the Tibet Autonomous Region
. Adjacent to the southern and southeastern border is the bufferzone Makalu Barun Conservation Area covering an area of 830 km² (320.5 sq mi).
The rugged summits of Makalu
, with 8463 m (27,765.7 ft) the fifth highest mountain of the world, Chamalang (7319 m (24,012.5 ft)), Baruntse
(7129 m (23,389.1 ft)) and Mera
(6654 m (21,830.7 ft)) are included in the national park. The protected area extends to about 66 km (41 mi) from west to east and to about 44 km (27.3 mi) from north to south. From the Arun river
valley in the southeast, located at 344 – above sea level, elevation gains about 8025 m (26,328.7 ft) to the peak of Makalu.
, Gurung
, Tamang
, Magar, Newar
, Brahmin
and Chhetri ethnic group
s.
Both national park and conservation area are administered by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. An innovative park management approach encourages local people to become actively involved in conserving their rich cultural heritage and protecting forests and natural resources, upon which their lives depend.
The inaccessible valleys of the Barun River
, glacier-fed tributary to the Arun River
, and of its tributary Saldima, treasure some of the last remaining pristine forests and alpine meadows. They have been designated as a Strict Nature Reserve, the first in Nepal, in order to protect natural ecosystems and processes in an undisturbed state for scientific study, environmental monitoring, education and the maintenance of genetic resources.
already starts in June and eases off in late September. During these months about 70% of the annual precipitation of 4000 mm (157.5 in) falls. The first monsoon clouds reach the area already in April. Temperatures vary greatly due to the extreme difference in altitude in the entire area. Lower elevations are temperate throughout winter and hot during April and May.
monsoon forest on 400 m (1,312.3 ft) altitude to subalpine
conifer stands on 4000 m (13,123.4 ft) altitude. Forest aspects vary depending on seasonal moisture availability, temperature and snow cover at different elevations and slopes. Forests below 2000 m (6,561.7 ft) are strongly affected by subsistence agriculture, so that only some ecologically significant stands remain there. Above 2000 m (6,561.7 ft) forests are usually extensive since the cool, humid climate suppresses agricultural activity.
Forests span five bioclimatic zones:
On alpine pastures above 4000 m (13,123.4 ft) - Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
- the religiously important dwarf rhododendron
and juniper, aromatic herb
s and delicate wildflower
s prosper.
Botanists
recorded 3,128 species of flowering plants, including 25 of Nepal's 30 varieties of rhododendron, 48 primroses
, 47 orchids
, 19 bamboo
s, 15 oaks, 86 fodder trees and 67 economically valuable aromatic and medicinal plants.
The protected area is habitat for a wide diversity of faunal species. There are 315 species of butterflies
, 43 species of reptile
and 16 species of amphibian
s. 78 species of fish
inhabit the many ponds, lakes and rivers. Ornithologists have recorded 440 bird species, ranging from eagle
s and other raptors
to white-necked storks
and brilliantly colored sunbird
s. The 16 rare or protected bird species include the rose-ringed parakeet
, Blyth’s kingfisher
, deep-blue kingfisher
, blue-naped pitta
, pale blue flycatcher
, Sultan tit
, silver-eared mesia
and the white-naped yuhina
.
The 88 species of mammals include snow leopard
, leopard
, clouded leopard
, jungle cat
, leopard cat
, jackal
, Himalayan Wolf
, red fox
, red panda
, black bear, Hanuman langur
, Assam macaque
, Himalayan tahr
, Himalayan goral, muntjak, musk deer
, barking deer, Himalayan serow
, wild boar, flying squirrel
, otter
s, spotted linsang
, weasel
and marmot
. In May 2009 zoologists obtained the first image of an Asian golden cat at an altitude of 2517 m.
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and was established in 1992 as eastern extension of the Sagarmatha National Park
Sagarmatha National Park
Sagarmāthā National Park is a protected area in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal containing the southern half of Mount Everest. The park was created on July 19, 1976 and was inscribed as a Natural World Heritage Site in 1979...
. Covering an area of 1500 km² (579.2 sq mi) in the districts of Solukhumbu
Solukhumbu District
Solukhumbu District of 107,686.Mount Everest is located in the northern part of this district, within Sagarmatha National Park.Indigenous ethnic Rai and hill Caste Chhetri are the main groups living in the mid-hills, while Sherpas occupy high mountains....
and Sankhuwasabha
Sankhuwasabha District
Sankhuwasabha District of 159,203.Indigenous ethnics Yakkhas, Rais, Limbus, and other hill castes and ethnic groups Sankhuwasabha District of 159,203.Indigenous ethnics Yakkhas, Rais, Limbus, and other hill castes (e.g. Chhetri, Bahuns) and ethnic groups Sankhuwasabha District of...
it is the world's only protected area with an elevation gain of more than 8000 m (26,246.7 ft) enclosing tropical forest as well as snow-capped peaks.
The northern border of the national park coincides with the international border to the Tibet Autonomous Region
Tibet Autonomous Region
The Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibet or Xizang for short, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China , created in 1965....
. Adjacent to the southern and southeastern border is the bufferzone Makalu Barun Conservation Area covering an area of 830 km² (320.5 sq mi).
The rugged summits of Makalu
Makalu
Makalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world at and is located southeast of Mount Everest, on the border between Nepal and China...
, with 8463 m (27,765.7 ft) the fifth highest mountain of the world, Chamalang (7319 m (24,012.5 ft)), Baruntse
Baruntse
Baruntse is a mountain in the Khumbu region of eastern Nepal, crowned by four peaks and bounded on the south by the Hunku Glacier, on the east by the Barun Glacier, and on the northwest by the Imja Glacier...
(7129 m (23,389.1 ft)) and Mera
Mera Peak
Mera Peak is a mountain which lies in the Himalayas, in the Sagarmatha region of Nepal. At it is classified as a trekking peak.The first ascent was on May 20, 1953 by Col. Jimmy Roberts and Sen Tenzing. The region was first explored extensively by British expeditions in the early 50s before and...
(6654 m (21,830.7 ft)) are included in the national park. The protected area extends to about 66 km (41 mi) from west to east and to about 44 km (27.3 mi) from north to south. From the Arun river
Arun River (Nepal)
The Arun River is a trans-boundary river and is part of the Kosi or Sapt Koshi river system in Nepal. It originates in Tibet Autonomous Region of People's Republic of China where it is called Bum-chu.-Name:...
valley in the southeast, located at 344 – above sea level, elevation gains about 8025 m (26,328.7 ft) to the peak of Makalu.
History
The idea of preserving the unique biological and cultural features of the Makalu Barun area was already conceived in the mid-1980s. The management plans accomplished in 1990 also addressed the issue of protecting the upper watershed of the Arun River. In 1991 Makalu Barun National Park was gazetted. When in 1999 the bufferzone was declared, the park was the first to include an adjacent inhabited conservation area. About 35,000 people reside in 12 Village Development Committees, who are primarily subsistence farmers of Sherpa, RaiRai people
The Rai are one of Nepal's most ancient indigenous ethnolinguistic groups. They were Raya meaning king. Once someone was recognized as a ruler then Hindus awarded the title Raja, Rai, Raya, Malla etc. When the king Pritivi Narayan Shah couldn't defeat Kirant king , he somehow took them in...
, Gurung
Gurung
The Gurung people, also called Tamu, are an ethnic group that migrated from Mongolia in the 6th century to the central region of Nepal. Gurungs, like other east Asian featured peoples of Nepal such as Sherpa, Tamang, Thakali, Magar, Manaaggi, Mustaaggi, and Walunggi, are the indigenous people of...
, Tamang
Tamang
The Tamangs are the ancient and original inhabitants of the mountains and plains of the Himalayan regions of Nepal and India. Their ancient capital being Yambu - modern day Kathmandu. They have their own distinct culture, language and religion. Their ancestral domain is popularly known as...
, Magar, Newar
Newa people
The Newa , Newār or Newāl) are the indigenous people and the creators of the historical civilization of Nepal's Kathmandu Valley. The valley and surrounding territory have been known from ancient times as Nepal Mandala, its limits ever changing through history.Newas have lived in the Kathmandu...
, Brahmin
Bahun
Bahun is a colloquial Nepali term for a member of the Pahari or "hill" Brahmin caste, who are traditionally educators, scholars and priests of Hinduism. They are also known as Barmu in Newari. By tradition—and by civil law until 1962—they represented the highest of the four Hindu...
and Chhetri ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
s.
Both national park and conservation area are administered by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. An innovative park management approach encourages local people to become actively involved in conserving their rich cultural heritage and protecting forests and natural resources, upon which their lives depend.
The inaccessible valleys of the Barun River
Barun River
The Barun River is a tributary of the Arun River and is part of the Kosi river system in Nepal.-Kosi river system:The Kosi or Sapt Kosi drains eastern Nepal. It is known as Sapt Koshi because of the seven rivers which join together in east-central Nepal to form this river...
, glacier-fed tributary to the Arun River
Arun River (Nepal)
The Arun River is a trans-boundary river and is part of the Kosi or Sapt Koshi river system in Nepal. It originates in Tibet Autonomous Region of People's Republic of China where it is called Bum-chu.-Name:...
, and of its tributary Saldima, treasure some of the last remaining pristine forests and alpine meadows. They have been designated as a Strict Nature Reserve, the first in Nepal, in order to protect natural ecosystems and processes in an undisturbed state for scientific study, environmental monitoring, education and the maintenance of genetic resources.
Climate
The park is located in the eastern climatic zone of the Himalayas, where monsoonMonsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
already starts in June and eases off in late September. During these months about 70% of the annual precipitation of 4000 mm (157.5 in) falls. The first monsoon clouds reach the area already in April. Temperatures vary greatly due to the extreme difference in altitude in the entire area. Lower elevations are temperate throughout winter and hot during April and May.
Vegetation
The Makalu Barun National Park exhibits a high diversity of forest types that are characteristic for the Eastern Himalayas, ranging from near-tropical dipterocarpDipterocarpaceae
Dipterocarpaceae is a family of 17 genera and approximately 500 species of mainly tropical lowland rainforest trees. The family name, from the type genus Dipterocarpus, is derived from Greek and refers to the two-winged fruit...
monsoon forest on 400 m (1,312.3 ft) altitude to subalpine
Subalpine
The subalpine zone is the biotic zone immediately below tree line around the world. Species that occur in this zone depend on the location of the zone on the Earth, for example, Snow Gum in Australia, or Subalpine Larch, Mountain Hemlock and Subalpine Fir in western North America.Trees in the...
conifer stands on 4000 m (13,123.4 ft) altitude. Forest aspects vary depending on seasonal moisture availability, temperature and snow cover at different elevations and slopes. Forests below 2000 m (6,561.7 ft) are strongly affected by subsistence agriculture, so that only some ecologically significant stands remain there. Above 2000 m (6,561.7 ft) forests are usually extensive since the cool, humid climate suppresses agricultural activity.
Forests span five bioclimatic zones:
- Tropical – below 1000 m (3,280.8 ft) with stands of Sal;
- Subtropical - Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forestsHimalayan subtropical broadleaf forestsThe Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests is an ecoregion that extends from the middle hills of central Nepal through Darjeeling into Bhutan and also into the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh...
from 1000 metre with stands of SchimaSchima[[Schima is a [[genus]] of evergreen trees belonging to the tea family, [[Theaceae]].The genus inhabits warm temperate to subtropical climates across southern and southeastern Asia, from the eastern [[Himalaya]] of [[Nepal]] and eastern [[India]] across [[Indochina]], southern [[China]],...
and CastanopsisCastanopsisCastanopsis is a genus of evergreen trees belonging to the beech family, Fagaceae. The genus contains about 120 species, which are today restricted to tropical and subtropical eastern Asia. A total of 58 species are native to China, with 30 endemic; the other species occur further south, through...
; - Lower and upper temperate - Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forestsEastern Himalayan broadleaf forestsThe Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests is a temperate broadleaf forest ecoregion found in the middle elevations of the eastern Himalayas, including parts of Nepal, India, and Bhutan...
from 2000 metre with predominantly broadleaf evergreen species of OakOakAn oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
and LaurelLauraceaeThe Lauraceae or Laurel family comprises a group of flowering plants included in the order Laurales. The family contains about 55 genera and over 3500, perhaps as many as 4000, species world-wide, mostly from warm or tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia and South America...
families and broadleaf deciduous stands of MapleMapleAcer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
and MagnoliaMagnoliaMagnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol....
; - Subalpine - Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forestsEastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forestsThe Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion which is found in the middle and upper elevations of the eastern Middle Himalayas, in western Nepal, Bhutan and northern Indian states including Arunachal Pradesh....
from 3000 metre with stands of Himalayan BirchBirchBirch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
and East Himalayan FirAbies spectabilisAbies spectabilis is a conifer species in the family Pinaceae and the genus firs. It is sometimes held to include the Bhutan Fir as a variety....
; along a transect from outer, southern slopes to the inner valleys these stands are dominated by conifersPinophytaThe conifers, division Pinophyta, also known as division Coniferophyta or Coniferae, are one of 13 or 14 division level taxa within the Kingdom Plantae. Pinophytes are gymnosperms. They are cone-bearing seed plants with vascular tissue; all extant conifers are woody plants, the great majority being...
such as JuniperJuniperJunipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
and FirFirFirs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
.
On alpine pastures above 4000 m (13,123.4 ft) - Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
The Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion of Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal, which lies between the tree line and snow line in the eastern portion of the Himalaya Range.-Setting:...
- the religiously important dwarf rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
and juniper, aromatic herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
s and delicate wildflower
Wildflower
A wildflower is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. Yet "wildflower" meadows of a few mixed species are sold in seed packets. The term "wildflower" has been made vague by commercial seedsmen who are interested in selling more flowers or seeds more...
s prosper.
Botanists
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
recorded 3,128 species of flowering plants, including 25 of Nepal's 30 varieties of rhododendron, 48 primroses
Primulaceae
Primulaceae is a family of flowering plants with about 24 genera, including some favorite garden plants and wildflowers. It is also known as the primrose family.- Genera :...
, 47 orchids
Orchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
, 19 bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
s, 15 oaks, 86 fodder trees and 67 economically valuable aromatic and medicinal plants.
Fauna
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
, 43 species of reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
and 16 species of amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
s. 78 species of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
inhabit the many ponds, lakes and rivers. Ornithologists have recorded 440 bird species, ranging from eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
s and other raptors
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
to white-necked storks
Woolly-necked Stork
The Woolly-necked Stork or White necked stork , Ciconia episcopus, is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It can also be known as the Espiscopos....
and brilliantly colored sunbird
Sunbird
The sunbirds and spiderhunters are a family, Nectariniidae, of very small passerine birds. There are 132 species in 15 genera. The family is distributed throughout Africa, southern Asia and just reaches northern Australia. Most sunbirds feed largely on nectar, but also take insects and spiders,...
s. The 16 rare or protected bird species include the rose-ringed parakeet
Rose-ringed Parakeet
The Rose-ringed Parakeet , also known as the Ringnecked Parakeet, is a gregarious tropical parakeet species that has an extremely large range. Since the trend of the population appears to be increasing, the species has been evaluated as Least Concern by IUCN in 2009.Rose-ringed parakeets are...
, Blyth’s kingfisher
Blyth's Kingfisher
The Blyth's Kingfisher, Alcedo hercules, is a kingfisher distributed in Bangladesh, India, China, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam. It is found along streams in evergreen forest and adjacent open country from 200-1,200 m, mainly at 400-1,000 m....
, deep-blue kingfisher
Blue-eared Kingfisher
The Blue-eared Kingfisher, Alcedo meninting, is found in south and southeast Asia. This is a small kingfisher almost identical to the Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis...
, blue-naped pitta
Blue-naped Pitta
The Blue-naped Pitta is a species of bird in the Pittidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.-References:* BirdLife...
, pale blue flycatcher
Pale Blue-flycatcher
The Pale Blue-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam...
, Sultan tit
Sultan Tit
The Sultan Tit is a large songbird with a yellow crest, dark bill, black upperparts plumage and yellow underparts. The sexes are similar. The female has greenish black upperparts and yellowish throat...
, silver-eared mesia
Silver-eared Mesia
The Silver-eared Mesia is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.-References:...
and the white-naped yuhina
White-naped Yuhina
The White-naped Yuhina is a bird species in the Old World babbler family Timaliidae. If the white-eyes are considered a distinct family , the genus Yuhina would need to be placed there....
.
The 88 species of mammals include snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
, leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
, clouded leopard
Clouded Leopard
The clouded leopard is a felid found from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China, and has been classified as vulnerable in 2008 by IUCN...
, jungle cat
Jungle Cat
The jungle cat is a medium-sized cat and considered the largest remaining species of the wild cat genus Felis. The species is also called the swamp lynx but is not closely related to the lynxes....
, leopard cat
Leopard Cat
The leopard cat is a small wild cat of South and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern by IUCN as it is widely distributed but threatened by habitat loss and hunting in parts of its range...
, jackal
Jackal
Although the word jackal has been historically used to refer to many small- to medium-sized species of the wolf genus of mammals, Canis, today it most properly and commonly refers to three species: the black-backed jackal and the side-striped jackal of sub-Saharan Africa, and the golden jackal of...
, Himalayan Wolf
Himalayan Wolf
The terms Himalayan wolf and Canis himalayensis have been suggested by several Indian biologists for recognition as a critically endangered canid species, distinct from Canis lupus...
, red fox
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
, red panda
Red Panda
The red panda , is a small arboreal mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It is the only species of the genus Ailurus. Slightly larger than a domestic cat, it has reddish-brown fur, a long, shaggy tail, and a waddling gait due to its shorter front legs...
, black bear, Hanuman langur
Gray langur
Gray langurs or Hanuman langurs, the most widespread langurs of South Asia, are a group of Old World monkeys constituting the entirety of the genus Semnopithecus. All taxa have traditionally been placed in the single species Semnopithecus entellus...
, Assam macaque
Assam Macaque
The Assam macaque is a macaque of the Old World monkey family native to South and Southeast Asia. Since 2008, the species is listed as Near Threatened by IUCN, as it is experiencing significant declines due to hunting, habitat degradation and fragmentation.- Characteristics :The Assam macaque has...
, Himalayan tahr
Himalayan Tahr
The Himalayan Tahr or Common Thar is a large ungulate related to the wild goat.-Habitat:...
, Himalayan goral, muntjak, musk deer
Musk deer
Musk deer are artiodactyls of the genus Moschus, the only genus of family Moschidae. They are more primitive than the cervids, or true deer, in not having antlers or facial glands, in having only a single pair of teats, and in possessing a gall bladder, a caudal gland, a pair of tusk-like teeth...
, barking deer, Himalayan serow
Himalayan Serow
The Himalayan Serow is a vulnerable goat-antelope, native to eastern and southeastern Bangladesh, the Himalayas , northeastern India, and probably western Burma. It has been considered a subspecies of C. sumatraensis....
, wild boar, flying squirrel
Flying squirrel
Flying squirrels, scientifically known as Pteromyini or Petauristini, are a tribe of 44 species of squirrels .- Description :...
, otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s, spotted linsang
Spotted Linsang
The Spotted Linsang is a linsang found in the forests of the central and eastern Himalaya. It is short, light coloured terrestrial mammal, with a slender body, a pointed head and small limbs. It stalks its prey by crawling on its belly, when it is often mistaken for a python or other heavy-built,...
, weasel
Mountain Weasel
The mountain weasel , also known as the pale weasel, Altai weasel or solongoi, is a species of weasel that prefer to live in environments that are usually high in altitude as well as rocky tundra and grassy woodlands covered in green vegetation.They rest in rock crevices, tree trunks, and...
and marmot
Marmot
The marmots are a genus, Marmota, of squirrels. There are 14 species in this genus.Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, northern Apennines, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, Tatras, and Pyrenees in...
. In May 2009 zoologists obtained the first image of an Asian golden cat at an altitude of 2517 m.
Literature
- Bhuju, U.R., Shakya, P.R., Basnet, T.B., Shrestha, S. (2007) Nepal Biodiversity Resource Book. Protected Areas, Ramsar Sites, and World Heritage Sites. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, in cooperation with United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Kathmandu, ISBN 978-92-9115-033-5 download pdf