Sikkim, a mountainous region in the eastern Himalayas, has 600 species of birds, or about half of the over 1200 species to be found in India.

Perched between Nepal in the west, Bhutan in the east, and Tibet( China) in the north, Sikkim is 7300 square miles in area and contains Mount Khangchendzonga, the third-highest peak in the world. Formerly a kingdom, since 1975 it has been a tiny land -locked province to India.

Sikkim, with its rich biodiversity, has 150 lakes ranging in altitude from 200 meters to almost 8000 meters.

Besides birds, Sikkim has 4000 species of flowering plants, making it a botanist's paradise. It has 600 species of orchids, and 40 species of rhododendrons.

With the introduction of eco-tourism, including serious birding, Sikkim has begun to focus on enterprise-based conservation.