Phrumsengla National Park


Phrumsengla National Park, formerly Thrumshingla National Park, in central Bhutan covers just over across four districts, but primarily in Mongar. It is bisected by the Lateral Road, and contains the Thrumshing La pass.

Flora and fauna

Phrumsengla is a temperate park in the foothills of the Himalaya, featuring large tracts of old-growth and fir forests, at altitudes ranging from to above sea level. Phrumsengla is home to several species of threatened birds, namely the rufous-necked hornbill, the rufous-throated wren-babbler, the satyr tragopan, the beautiful nuthatch, Ward's trogon and the chestnut-breasted partridge, as well as a near-threatened species, the wedge-billed wren babbler.
Mammals in the area include various species native to South Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. There are large and small herbivorous ungulates, such as the Asian elephant, Indian rhinoceros and the wild water buffalo, as well as swamp deer, or barasingha, Himalayan goral, hog deer, mainland serow, and the northern red muntjac. Rodents and shrews are particularly plentiful in the region, with species including the Bhutan giant flying squirrel, black giant squirrel, Himalayan pika, Himalayan striped squirrel, Hodgson's giant flying squirrel, Irrawaddy squirrel, large-eared pika, moupin pika, Pallas's squirrel, northern treeshrew and the Sikkim mouse. Several primates and carnivores, including the elusive snow leopard which roams the high, inaccessible peaks, are found here as well, such as Assamese and rhesus macaques and capped and Gee's golden langurs, dholes, Eurasian and smooth-coated otters, mainland leopard cats, and the yellow-throated marten.
Phrumsengla has many scenic views of its forests, with elevation dictating the climate, from alpine to sub-tropical. As the soil of Phrumsengla is particularly fragile, the land is unsuitable for logging or other development, thus it is left to nature.

Tourism

The Bhutanese Trust Fund identifies excellent tourism potential for Phrumsengla, as it is bisected by Bhutan's highest motorable road, the Lateral Road. Nearly 11,000 people live within the Phrumsengla area demonstrating, in the Trust Fund's opinion, the kingdom's "closest success to a harmonious balance between man and nature." The World Wildlife Fund also maintains operations in the park.