Khangchendzonga National Park is a protected area located in Sikkim, India. It is part of the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve. The park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in July 2016, making it the first "Mixed Heritage" site in India. It is also included in the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme. The park is named after Kangchenjunga, the third-highest mountain in the world, which reaches a height of 8,586 meters (28,169 feet). The park covers an area of 1,784 square kilometers (689 square miles).

Geography

Khangchendzonga National Park is located in the Mangan and Gyalshing districts of India. It covers an area of 1,784 km² (689 square miles) and ranges in elevation from 1,829 meters (6,001 feet) to over 8,550 meters (28,050 feet). This park is one of the few high-altitude national parks in India. It was named a mixed-criteria UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2016. In the north, it borders the Qomolangma National Nature Preserve in Tibet. In the west, it borders the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area in Nepal.

Flora

The park has a variety of plants, including forests with broadleaf trees and other types of trees such as oaks, fir, birch, maple, and willow. At higher elevations, alpine grasses and shrubs grow, along with many plants and herbs that are used for medicine.

Fauna

The park is home to about 550 bird species, such as the blood pheasant, satyr tragopan, osprey, Himalayan griffon, lammergeier, several types of green pigeon, Tibetan snowcock, snow pigeon, impeyan pheasant, Asian emerald cuckoo, sunbirds, and eagles. The dhole has been spotted using camera traps at elevations ranging from 2,501 to 4,100 meters (8,205 to 13,451 feet).