Image of the Day: The Himalayas of Bhutan

By Bruce G. Marcot, Ecology Picture of the Week:

On this exceptionally clear winter day, we are flying along the southern face of the astounding Himalaya Mountains.  Fresh snow paints the cliffs and peaks of the remote Kingdom of Bhutan.

Bhutan may be the real-world equivalent of Shangri-La, where vast alpine ecosystems still exist largely undisturbed by the outside world.  Here still range the rare snow leopard, red panda, Bengal tiger, golden langur, Himalayan black bear, and many others ... although many of these species are threatened.  Some 200 mammals are found in Bhutan.

--Bruce G. Marcot

Image and text © Bruce G. Marcot, Ph.D. Research Wildlife Ecologist,
who produces the Ecology Picture of the Week website.