Bhutan ranks among the most biodiverse countries in the world.

 
photos M. Noonan

Located in the Himalaya area of Asia, Bhutan has an incredible range of habitat type. The southern part of Bhutan nearest to India is warm and supports wildlife that is usually associated with a tropical-jungle climate. As one progresses north, the wildlife changes according as the elevation increases. In much of Bhutan, it is quite cool - even in the summer. High in the Himalayan mountains, there is snow year round and this is an area inhabited by incredibly hardy animals and plants.

photo M. Noonan

Innumerable rivers wind through the valleys of Bhutan. Waterfalls are everywhere, tucked in between the cliffs and draining into the rivers and streams. Currently, 72% of the country is covered with forests (or other communities of native vegetation), and the Bhutanese government policy is that this percent must never fall below 60% in the future. The forests that grow between the riverbanks and the mountain peaks include a variety of trees, such as bamboo, cypress, and the rhododendron. The rhododendron forests are of special interest, as Bhutan has over fifty species.