Page 28 - Fourways Gardens September 2020
P. 28
A CULTURAL
AND BIRDING
TRIP TO BHUTAN
(Part 1) Old Timer (DS)
B Y RON SEARLE, PHO T OGR APHY B Y MERL & MAR TY ARNO T ,
D A VID SHA CKELF ORD AND RON SEARLE
With its astonishingly nown as ‘Land of the Thunder above the tree-line, largely inaccessible
significant forest cover, Dragon’, Bhutan, a land-locked and accordingly unexplored and pristine.
monarchy located in the Eastern
the Royal Government’s KHimalayas – bordered to the The wide range in altitude and topography
commitment to both north by Tibet, the Indian states of produces an equally great range of
West Bengal and Assam to the south,
climatic conditions responsible for the
the environment and Arunachal Pradesh to the east and Sikkim very considerable forest coverage. Three
sustainable development, to the west – is a destination like no other, climatic zones have been identified, viz:
boasting breath-taking mountain scenery
sub-tropical 180 – 1 800m characterised
plus the largely Buddhist and vast forests covering 71% of the total by steep slopes and broad-leaved forest
population’s deeply land area of 46 620km². Apart from a few (both warm and cool); mid-montane 1 800
– 3 500m with coniferous forests (Chir and
narrow strips of the Indian plains which
ingrained respect for penetrate the southern borders of Bhutan, Blue Pine, Spruce, Hemlock and Fir); and
nature, Bhutan is in many the country is completely mountainous alpine > 3 500m with tundra vegetation,
with steep slopes and altitudes ranging
alpine meadows, snow-covered peaks
ways an ideal model for from 180m to 7 550m above sea level. The and glaciers.
conservation. main Himalayan chain on the southern Possessing unusually high biodiversity
edge of the Tibetan Plateau is the
northern border of the country, an area and enlightened conservation practices,
Fourways Gardens • 26 • September 2020
