Exotic Variety of Eastern Himalaya

No mountain range on Earth can match the awe-inspiring Himalayas. Home to all of the world’s highest peaks, many standing above 8,000m, they include the tallest, the formidable Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) at 8,848m. Their story is one of fascination and intrigue, which continues to captivate the world.

At Least 353 new species discovered in the Eastern Himalayas between 1998 and 2008, equating to an average of 35 new species finds every year for the last 10 years. The discoveries include 242 plants, 16 amphibians, 16 reptiles, 14 fish, 2 birds and 2 mammals, and at least 61 new invertebrates

Where worlds collide. The Eastern Himalayas is at the crossroads of two continental plates.creating one of the biologically richest areas on Earth

Historically, the rugged and largely inaccessible landscape of the Eastern Himalayas has made biological surveys in the region extremely difficult. As a result, wildlife has remained poorly surveyed and there are large areas that are still biologically unexplored

Many species groups have been inadequately studied and the real extent of the biodiversity of the Eastern Himalayas is undoubtedly underestimated. This is reflected in the remarkable level of new life discovered in the region over the past 10 years by dedicated scientists. Some of these species have evolved and survived for centuries, and their full glory is only just being unearthed.

Renewed effort in the last decade on wildlife research and exploration gathered momentum in the Eastern Himalayas, led by researchers of non-governmental and governmental research institutions. Recent surveys have yielded extraordinary results, and the discovery of large mammals such as the leaf deer (Muntiacus putaoensis), the primate Arunachal macaque (Macaca munzala), and new birds such as the Bugun Liocichla (Liocichla bugunorum), has drawn renewed attention to this globally important region for biodiversity.

Jun-02-2012 15:36:42