Wildlife of Myanmar

The wildlife of Myanmar includes its flora and fauna and their natural habitats.

Monkey on Mount Zwegabin

Flora

See also: list of ecoregions in Myanmar

Like all Southeastern Asian forests, the forests of Myanmar can be divided into two categories: monsoon forest and rainforest. Monsoon forest is dry at least three months a year, and is dominated by deciduous trees. Rainforest has a rainy season of at least nine months, and are dominated by broadleaf evergreen.

In the region north of the Tropic of Cancer, in the Himalayan region, subtropical broadleaf evergreen dominates to an elevation of 2000 m, and from 2000 m to 3000 m, semi-deciduous broadleaf dominates, and above 3000 m, evergreen conifers and subalpine forest are the primary fauna until the alpine scrubland.

The area from Yangon to Myitkyina is mostly monsoon forest, while peninsular Malaysia south of Mawlamyine is primarily rainforest, with some overlap between the two. Along the coasts of Rakhine State and Tanintharyi Division, tidal forests occur in estuaries, lagoons, tidal creeks, and low islands. These forests are host to the much-depleted Myanmar Coast mangroves habitat of mangrove and other trees that grow in mud and are resistant to sea water. Forests along the beaches consist of palm trees, hibiscus, casuarinas, and other trees resistant to storms.

Fauna

Myanmar is home to nearly 300 known mammal species, 300 reptile species, and about 1000 bird species. There are also many non-marine molluscs in Myanmar.

See also

• Deforestation in Myanmar

Sources

• "Myanmar Flora and Fauna". myanmars.net. Retrieved 24 April 2009.