New Reserve, New Jobs: Good News for Wildlife and for Locals

Bhutan has declared a new protected biological corridor, home to the snow leopard, red panda, and other flora and fauna.

“The designation of this corridor is yet another milestone in our conservation history and indicates Bhutan’s commitment to the global goal of increasing the coverage of protected areas for halting biodiversity loss and mitigating climate change,” says the Director of the Department of Forest and Park Services in Bhutan, Lobzang Dorji.

The newly protected area connects the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary to the Bumdelling Wildlife Sanctuary. The establishment of the new area, approved by Bhutan’s Parliament in November 2023, is set to ensure safe animal movement between the two regions and enhance the conservation and preservation of at least 124 species of birds, 25 species of mammals, and 227 species of plants. Furthermore, residents of the region are heavily dependent on the agriculture and livestock sectors and will also benefit from greater land protections. “It also has a huge potential to safeguard the economic and social well-being of the communities by sustaining ecosystem services that support livelihood activities,” says the Country Director of the World Wide Fund for Nature-Bhutan, Chimi Rinzin.