Found in the sub-tropical southern forest and extending to the cold alpine regions, as high as 4,500 meters above sea level, the tiger population in Bhutan has been increasing steadily. From the 103 documented during the National Tiger Survey in 2015, the population has increased to 131 as reported during the 2021-2022 national survey.

Found in the alpine mountains of northern Bhutan, snow leopards are adaptable hunters, capable of stalking a wide range of prey species. Bhutan is one of the 12 snow leopard range countries with estimated population of 134 individuals. Snow leopards face serious habitat loss due to human encroachment for poaching and retaliatory killings.
 

Protecting nesting sites is vital for white-bellied heron’s conservation as human disturbances threaten breeding success and survival. Juveniles have only about 10 percent survival rate in the wild, making it significantly challenging for the species’ survival. Bhutan is home to more than half of the global white-bellied heron population.  

Black-necked cranes, revered in Buddhist and local traditions, hold a significant conservation value. Forming monogamous pair bonds, they engage in intricate courtship displays during breeding season. Found in India, China and Bhutan, black-necked cranes breed in high altitude wetlands in the Tibetan plateau at elevations of 2950-4,900 meters above sea level.  

Asian elephants are the largest mammals found on land. They are key to a healthy ecological system and known for seed-dispersal through their droppings, and clearing of forest floors, which makes movement of other species easier. Bhutan has 678 Asian elephants, spread across the southern foothills.  

Red pandas lead solitary lives except during breeding seasons and maternal care periods. They predominantly live in the trees. Their populations are declining due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and poaching. Almost 50 percent of the red panda’s habitat is in the Eastern Himalayas.  

Musk deer are solitary creatures, primarily nocturnal, displaying distinctive hopping movements. Listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, their accurate population assessments are scarce. Poaching and illegal trade have led to declining musk deer populations across their habitat range, including Bhutan.  

Designated as Bhutan’s national animal in 1985, takin is a vulnerable and rarely sighted, large-bodied goat-antelope. It can weigh over 300kg. It primarily inhabits steep forests in the mountain valleys of northern Bhutan.  

The golden mahseer, known as the tiger of the river, is an endangered freshwater fish species found throughout Bhutan's major rivers. Prior to 2015, little was known about the ecology and behavior of golden mahseer in Bhutan.The first telemetry survey was conducted in 2015 to establish a scientific baseline data of its population and migration patterns.  

The ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) is a unique bird belonging to the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is unlike any other waterfowl, exhibiting an alluring rusty orange plumage, which resembles the saffron color of a Buddhist monk’s robe and therefore considered sacred.