Wildlife In Sikkim

¤ The Main Attractions of The Wild

Owing to Sikkim’s varying altitudes, the state supports a phenomenal range of flora and fauna – from the alpine to the tropical.
Sikkim boasts of over 4,000 species of plants and about 500 species of birds – almost 30% of the birds found in the entire sub continent.

Sikkim is known throughout the country as the home of the orchids, because this region alone has more than 400 species of beautiful flowers.
Over 600 species of butterflies are found at various altitudes of the state. The cold reaches above the altitude of 10,000ft support over 30 species of rhododendrons, which vary in height from a few inches to almost 40ft. The area is also home to the mysterious snow leopard and the wild ass. Other fauna found in Sikkim are the leopard, red panda, Himalayan black bear, musk deer and the flying squirrel to name only a few.


¤ Wildlife National Parks

Kanchendzonga National Park
is spread across an area of 850sq km, and is the largest wildlife reserve in Sikkim. The third highest peak on the planet – the Kanchendzonga, straddles the western boundary of the park, from which the reserve gets its name. The reserve also includes the vast Zemu Glacier. Situated in such an inaccessible expanse, the region has remained untouched to quite a large extent.

In fact it said that a large area of the park remains yet unexplored by man! The reserve is home to the snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, Tibetan antelope, wild ass, barking deer, musk deer, flying squirrel and the red panda who live in blissful isolation amongst giant magnolias, rhododendrons and pine forests. Entry to the park remains restricted to mountaineers and to more serious expeditions. If interested, contact a local travel agent in Gangtok for the permit and other formalities.

Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary
Closer home, 15km from Gangtok lies the Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary. The reserve sprawls across an area of 5,200ha, and one of its boundaries also fringes the Tashi Viewpoint. The sanctuary supports a large variety of birds and butterflies along with a population of leopards, red pandas, civet cats and the Himalayan black bear.
North Sikkim has the little Singba Rhododendron Sanctuary.

This beautiful reserve covers a small area of 33ha, and is easily the best place to see more than 20 different species of rhododendrons endemic to Sikkim. The sanctuary also has a small population of tigers, civets and some birds, including the beautiful blood pheasant that is the state bird of Sikkim. The best time to visit the sanctuary is from April to July, when the rhododendrons are in full bloom and the sanctuary turns into a riot of colours.

Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary
Southern Sikkim has the Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary, spread across 3,500ha of land. The temperate forest is home to the red panda, leopard, black eagle and civet cat amongst other animals and birds found in the region.
The 3,260ft high Maenam Peak also lies within the confines of the reserve. Rabongla is the closest town to the Sanctuary.

Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary
Adjoining the Changu Lake, the 400ha Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary is at a distance of 36km from Gangtok. This highland sanctuary supports a fascinating array of rhododendrons, primroses, poppies and a variety of wild flowers. The reserve is home to the gravely endangered musk deer, red panda, Himalayan black bear, serow (long-haired goat) and some species of pheasants. Unrestrained development and construction is taking a toll on the area, as landslides and deforestation become more common than ever before. Sadly, the seemingly formidable alpine region is most vulnerable to such mindless environmental degradation.

NGO: Eco Tourism Sikkim
One must mention the local NGO – Eco Tourism Sikkim. The organisation has done a great deal to create awareness amongst the locals on more sustainable measures of forest use.
They have done the mammoth task of cleaning up the entire Kangchendzonga trail, which was shamefully littered by mountaineers. Toilets have also been constructed by the organisation and measures have been taken for proper channelling of waste.