Sonamphuntsho

Bhutan is a beautiful paradise for every living being on this earth including wildlife. Bhutan being negative carbon emissions country it's has a good coverage of forest and good environment for everyone to live long.

Motithang Takin Preserve, located in the Motithang district of Thimphu, Bhutan is a wildlife reserve area for takin, the national animal of Bhutan. Originally a mini-zoo, it was converted into a preserve when it was discovered that the animals refrained from inhabiting the surrounding forest even when set free. The reason for declaring takin as a national animal of Bhutan on 25 November 2005 (Budorcas taxicolor) is attributed to a legend of the animal’s creation in Bhutan in the 15th century by Lama Drukpa Kunley. When a small number of takin were confined in a "mini-zoo" in Thimphu, the King of Bhutan felt that it was improper for a Buddhist country to confine animals for religious and environmental reasons. He therefore ordered the release of the animals and the closure of the mini-zoo. To everyone’s surprise, the takin, known for their docile behavior, refused to leave the immediate area, and strayed in the streets of Thimphu in search of food for weeks. Given that the animals had become virtually domesticated, it was decided to keep them in an enclosed, forested habitat at the edge of Thimphu and thus the takin preserve came to be established in the Motithang neighborhood. An area of 3.4 hectares (8.4 acres) was demarcated and fenced for the preserve. Improvements were implemented in 2004, a collaborative effort of the Royal Government of Bhutan and World Wide Fund, WWF (Bhutan), including a traditionally styled entrance gate, a small information center, signage and trash receptacles. Small openings in the fencing allow photo opportunities (intended) along with unregulated hand-feeding (unintended). As a result, most of the captive animals in the enclosure are obese. The preserve also holds a few sambar and barking deer. The Motithang Takin Reserve has been an integral part of Thimphu city and is an ongoing visitor attraction.NCD plans to expand the collection of the preserve by introducing other rarely seen animals of Bhutan such as the red panda, and the Himalayan serow.

The Gangtey Nature Trail is a gentle two-hour trek that lets you soak up the remarkable Phobjikha Valley. Starting at the 17th century Gangtey Monastery, you’ll amble down a fairly flat terrain that ends at the bottom of the valley. En route, you’ll pass grass planes, farmhouses and dense pine forests before reaching a vast open space of the wide valley. The endangered black-necked cranes make Phobjikha valley their breeding ground in winter and can be observed feeding on the valley marshlands from late October to mid-February. Your driver will meet you and your guide at the end of the trail and on the way back to your hotel you can call into the Crane Information Centre to learn more about these fascinating birds and their place in Bhutan's culture and beliefs. The centre is a fairly basic affair but has several sets of decent binoculars set up on tripods with which you can get a close look at the birds