Biological Specimen Collections of Bhutan

Kuzozangpola! Bhutan is a small, landlocked country with a population of 800,000 people, and an area of
38,394 km2 situated on the southern slope of the Eastern Himalayas. Straddling the two major Indo-Malayan and Palearctic biogeographic realms, Bhutan is part of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot and contains 23 Important Bird Areas (IBA), 8 ecoregions, a number of Important Plant Areas (IPA) and wetlands, including three Ramsar Sites. The diverse ecosystems and eco-floristic zones have made Bhutan home to a wide array of flora and fauna.

This data portal is more than just a web site - it is a suite of user-friendly, web-based biological specimen data access technologies to aid taxonomists, field biologists, ecologists, educators, and citizen scientists in the study of the Kingdom of Bhutan’s diverse biodiversity. The specimen data are derived from a network of colleges, universities, botanical gardens, and government centres n Bhutan that provide taxonomic, environmental, and specimen-based biological information. Data also include more than 9000 repatriated specimen records from institutions in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe.

Using the Symbiota software which was developed for the delivery of virtual online floras, these data are directly accessible to dynamically generate geo-referenced species checklists, distribution maps, and interactive identification keys, all linked with a rich collection of digital imagery documenting the biodiversity of the Kingdom of Bhutan. [ Learn more...]