Eastern Himalayas
Empowering communities to protect sacred lands
Featured Story
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Managing Melting Glaciers
WWF works to fight back against glacial lakes that threaten to wash away livestock and crush bridges and houses. Read more
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Becoming “Water Smart”
WWF empowers communities in Nepal to adapt to climate change impacts, such as water shortages. Read more
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WWF Helps Plant a Forest in Birthplace of Buddha
Volunteers planted trees in Lumbini, Nepal, on September 11, 2011 Read more
Latest News
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A Glimmer of Hope
Greater one-horned rhinos start 2012 on a positive note. Read more
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Setting a Global Example
WWF helps nations of the Eastern Himalayas lay foundation for regional response to climate change. Read more
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Agreement Made to Address Climate Change
The nations of Bhutan, Nepal, India and Bangladesh have signed a regional climate change adaptation declaration that will allow collaboration on energy, water, food and biodiversity issues. Read more
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Protecting the Forests of Nepal
A new program called Hariyo Ban aims to help the country in its struggle against climate change and threats to biodiversity Read more
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2011 National Conservation Day
Today honors the legacy of WWF employees and leaders who lost their lives in a tragic helicopter accident in 2006. Read more
Few places on Earth can match the breathtaking splendor of the Himalayas. Its towering peaks and secluded valleys have inspired naturalists, adventure seekers and spiritualists for centuries. Its diverse landscapes harbor exotic creatures such as red pandas, snow leopards and one-horned rhinos.
Although this region has been romanticized as a mythical paradise, it is a fragile land facing many challenges. Climate change is melting its mountain glaciers. Overharvesting for food and timber, intensive grazing, agriculture expansion, deforestation and wildlife poaching are straining natural resources that people depend upon and threatening a number of endangered species.
WWF's vision: Establish a sustainable relationship between people and the environment to ensure a future that includes healthy wildlife populations, plentiful natural resources and lasting change for local livelihoods.
The place. The Himalayan mountain range forms a 1,500-mile-long barrier that separates the lowlands of the Indian subcontinent from the high, dry Tibetan Plateau. Located in Nepal, Bhutan, northern Myanmar, southeast Tibet and northeast India, the region is comprised of temperate forests, the world’s highest mountain peaks and tallest grasslands, savannas, and rich alpine meadows.
The species. The Eastern Himalayas harbor 10,000 plant species, 240 mammal species and 750 bird species. Its grasslands are home to the densest population of Bengal tigers, living alongside Asian elephants and one-horned rhinos. Bhutan offers refuges for snow leopards, red pandas and takins. The region’s mountain forests sustain Himalayan black bears and golden langurs.
The people. The region is a rich cultural mosaic of Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and animists, all of whom have lived closely with nature for centuries. Many communities live in isolation, and their livelihoods and traditions deeply depend on natural resources, making conservation an integral part of their lives.
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