Sakten Wildlife Sanctuary:

Established in 2003, the Sakten Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS), covering an area of 740 square km between 1,800- 4,400 meters is possibly the world’s only protected area known to harbor the highly reclusive yeti (snowman). 

Locate in the easternmost part of the county in Tashigang, SWS is designed to protect the country’s eastern-most temperate ecosystem which harbor, among others, endemic species such as the eastern blue pine and black-rumped magpie. The forest contains 203 tree species. The sanctuary is also famous for faunal diversity. There are 18 species of mammals and 147 species of birds. 

The park area covers both Merak and Sakten and a part of Lauri geowg in Samdrup Jongkhar Dzongkhag. The sanctuary is connected to the Khaling Wildlife Sanctuary in the south part of the country by a biological corridor that is part of the Bhutan Biological Conservation Complex. The SWS and the corridors linking the sanctuary to the Khaling Wildlife Sanctuary are home to the headwaters of three major rivers of Manas, Bada, and Dhansiri.