Satellite view of northern Myanmar Photograph by USGS   Southeastern Asia: Northern Myanmar Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests   20,800 square miles (53,900 square kilometers) -- about half the size of Tennessee Relatively Stable/Intact

· Rugged and Remote
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Rugged and Remote

Here, at the eastern edge of the Himalayas, only those plant and animal species adapted to living in high mountains can survive. This is rugged country, and as such this ecoregion has had relatively few scientific explorations. What has been discovered, however, are forests possessing a wealth of biological diversity.

Special Features

The mountains of this ecoregion extend as offshoots of the eastern Himalayas. Peaks rise steeply to more than 9,800 feet (3,000 m). Several rivers run between these ranges, converging in the lower reaches to form the Irrawaddy River. Although primarily subtropical broadleaf forest, this ecoregion includes subalpine conifer forests and temperate forests as well. Ferns, climbing palms, and vines called lianas wrap themselves around mature trees, especially in the upper elevations. Endemic plant species include several orchids, such as the Paphiopedilium wardii.

	During their nesting period, most hornbill species go through a fascinating domestic routine. The opening of a hollow tree is sealed with mud, except for a small hole through which the male hornbill passes food for the female and the growing chicks. Males may swallow as many as 70 small fruits and then carry them to the nest and regurgitate them for the family.

Wild Side

Unlike other areas in Indochina, this ecoregion retains large tracts of contiguous habitat that contribute to the survival of such threatened mammals as the tiger, Asian elephant, red panda, clouded leopard, and Asiatic black bear. Other mammals include three species of macaque, the capped leaf monkey, hoolock gibbon, and Irrawaddy squirrel. In 1997, a new species, the leaf muntjac, was discovered high in the mountains. Standing only about 2 feet (60 centimeters) tall, this muntjac is considered the smallest true deer in the world. Birds abound as well. Of the more than 370 different species of birds found here, several are considered important to watch because of their need for mature forests and low thresholds for disturbance. The Blyth’s tragopan, great hornbill, wreathed hornbill, and rufous-necked hornbill are just a few of these indicator species.

Cause for Concern

Because of the inaccessibility of these mountains, very little of the ecoregion has been substantially altered by human activity. On hill slopes, however, forests are being rapidly cleared for shifting cultivation. Because of this, bamboo is starting to replace broadleaf forest. Continual timber extraction and mining remain threats as well.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.