Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
conflict between the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) and the Myanmar
military. The Irrawaddyalso reported how the Yuzana Corporation, owned by Htay
Myint, a member of parliament for the USDP, has been chopping down trees in the
park, destroying the environment not only of the tiger but several other en-
dangered species. In June 2012, Rabinowitz, interviewed by AFP, laid part of the
blame for the big cats' plight on the indigenous people for 'killing off tigers' to sell
to China and was also downbeat on the chances of saving the few that perhaps still
survive in the region.
One small flicker of hope is the Tiger Corridor, a joint initiative between Panthera
and the Wildlife Conservation Society to create a 4660-mile-long 'genetic corridor'
for tigers stretching from Bhutan to Malaysia, with a large part of the corridor
passing through Myanmar. In addition, an expedition to Myanmar sponsored by
the Smithsonian Institute and filmed by the BBC in its Wild Burmaprogramme
found evidence of tigers in two separate parts of the country.
Plants
As in the rest of tropical Asia, most indigenous vegetation in Myanmar is associated with
two basic types of tropical forest: monsoon forest (with a distinctive dry season of three
months or more) and rainforest (where rain falls more than nine months per year). It's
said there are over 1000 plant species endemic to the country.
Monsoon forests are marked by deciduous tree varieties, which shed leaves during the
dry season. Rainforests, by contrast, are typically evergreen. The area stretching from
Yangon to Myitkyina contains mainly monsoon forests, while peninsular Myanmar to the
south of Mawlamyine is predominantly a rainforest zone. There is overlapping of the two
- some forest zones support a mix of monsoon forest and rainforest vegetation.
In the mountainous Himalayan region, Myanmar's flora is characterised by subtropical
broadleaf evergreen forest up to 6500ft; temperate semi-deciduous broadleaf rainforest
from 6500ft to 9800ft; and, above this, evergreen coniferous, subalpine snow forest and
alpine scrub. Along the Rakhine and Tanintharyi coasts, tidal forests occur in river estu-
aries, lagoons, tidal creeks and along low islands. Such woodlands are characterised by
mangroves and other coastal trees that grow in mud and are resistant to seawater. Beach
and dune forests, which grow along these same coasts above the high-tide line, consist of
palms, hibiscus, casuarinas and other tree varieties that can withstand high winds and oc-
casional storm-sent waves.
The country's most famous flora includes an incredible array of fruit trees, more than
25,000 flowering species, a variety of tropical hardwoods and bamboo. Cane and rattan
are also plentiful.
