SIKKIM

The Flora and Fauna

Sikkim is a state in northeast India, bordered by Bhutan, Tibet and Nepal. Part of the Himalayas, the area has a dramatic landscape that includes India’s highest mountain, 8,586m Kangchenjunga. Sikkim is also home to glaciers, alpine meadows and thousands of varieties of wildflowers. Steep paths lead to hilltop Buddhist monasteries such as Pemayangtse, which dates to the early 1700s.

It is also very popular beacuse of its flora and fauna. Sikkim is home to around 5,000 species of flowering plants, 515 rare orchids, 60 primula species, 36 rhododendron species, 11 oak varieties, 23 bamboo varieties, 16 conifer species, 362 types of ferns and ferns allies, 8 tree ferns, and over 900 medicinal plants.

Flora

Sikkim is famous for its abundant species of flowers. there is a santuary which is a must visit.Varsey Rhododendron Sanctuary or Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary is sprawls over 104 square kilometers situated in the Singalila Range in the Southwest corner of Western Sikkim. It is a must-visit place during late spring. The Rhododendron – the national flower of Nepal as well as the state flower of West Virginia and Washington bloom during March and April. This beautiful flower sanctuary can be reached from three points – Hilley, Dentam and Soreng. But the most popular entry point is Hilley as it is approachable by road and Varsey is only four kilometer trek from this point.

Fauna

The diversity in the plant world is complemented by a similar variety in the animal kingdom. Amongst the mammals of Sikkim are the rare Snow Leopard, Himalayan Black Bear, Red panda, Musk Deer, Blue Sheep, Shapi, Common Langur, Leopard Cat, and the Flying Squirrel.

Sikkim also has a rich diversity of arthropods, many of which remain unstudied. Some of the most understudied species are Sikkimese arthropods, specifically butterflies. Of the approximately 1,438 butterfly species found in the Indian subcontinent, 695 have been recorded in Sikkim. These include the endangered Kaiser-i-hind, the Yellow Gorgon and the Bhutan Glory