Myanmar - Hkakabo Razi Landscape

The Northern Mountain Forest Complex (NMFC) consists of Hkakabo Razi National Park (NP) and Hponkan Razi Wildlife Sanctuary (WS), along with a proposed Southern Extension of Hkakabo Razi NP. Hponkan Razi WS, Hkakabo Razi NP, and the proposed Southern Extension form a contiguous property of more than 11,280 km2. Elevation ranges from 50 m at the southern end of Hponkan Razi WS to over 5,800 m. The property borders India and China and includes Mt. Hkakaborazi, which at 5,881 m is the highest peak in Southeast Asia. Mt. Hponkan Razi rises to 5,165 m. The Northern Mountain Forest Complex includes a suite of forest types transitioning across 5,830 m of vertical elevation. Subtropical evergreen forest at lower elevations transitions to temperate evergreen forest, mixed deciduous forest, pine-rhododendron forest, alpine meadows, and at the highest elevations into snow-capped alpine peaks. Globally threatened wildlife includes the Black Musk Deer, Red Panda, and White-bellied Heron. Hkakabo Razi NP was established in 1998 and covers 3,810 km2, making it the second largest protected area and largest national park in Myanmar. It is also an ASEAN Heritage Park. Hponkan Razi WS was gazetted in 2003 and covers about 2,700 km2 (Instituto Oikos and BANCA 2011). Hkakabo Razi NP’s proposed Southern Extension covers the area south of the current park boundary to the northern edge of the Putao plain and from Hponkan Razi WS in the west to the N’mai Hka River in the East. This area ranges in elevation from 500 to 2,900 m and covers 4,778 km2, which would more than double Hkakabo Razi NP’s area. The area contained within the proposed extension is of particularly high bird endemism and diversity.