This Handbook originated as a staff-training manual for the Makalu-Barun Conservation Project on the wild side of Everest around Mount Makalu and the Barun River Valley of the Nepal Eastern Himalaya. This area represents an intact ecosystem in an area of globally significant biodiversity. This field guide presents a sample of the great variety of plants and animals living in this spectacular region. The handbook is applicable to all of the Nepal Eastern Himalaya.

From Tropics to Glaciers: Globally Significant Biodiversity on the Wild Side of Everest

From tropical forests along the Arun River to the icy summits, the Makalu – Barun National Park and Buffer Zone is the only protected area on earth with an elevation gain of 8,000m – from 400m asl to 8,800 m asl within 30 kilometers. As a result of this steep terrain, this area has almost every bio-climatic zone of the Nepal Eastern Himalaya.