Bhutan Herpetofauna Research Foundation
Explore Our Work
Deciphering the undeciphered
Welcome
Welcome to the most comprehensive window into the reptiles and amphibians of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Whether you’re a researcher, photographer, trekker, or simply curious about what slithers and hops in the Eastern Himalayas, you’ve come to the right place.
Our story
Get to know us
My name is Jigme Tshelthrim Wangyal. Since 2005, I’ve been chasing snakes across Bhutan’s steaming southern jungles, listening for frogs above 4,000 m, and turning over logs in places even most Bhutanese guides have never visited.
Bhutan sits at the crossroads of the Palearctic and Indo-Malayan realms, which means you can find flying lizards in the same country as salamanders that breed in snowmelt. Yet until now, almost nothing reliable existed online about its herpetofauna. Most species accounts were scattered across old papers, misidentified photos floated around the internet, and whole districts remained complete blanks on distribution maps.
That bothered me. So I decided to fix it.
This website is the result: a living, continually updated monograph of every reptile and amphibian known (or suspected) to occur in the Kingdom of Bhutan. Every photograph I show is either taken by me in the field or used with explicit permission. Every map point is either my own GPS record or carefully vetted from specimens and literature. When I’m wrong or uncertain, I say so — transparency matters more than looking flawless.
Whether you’re a scientist planning the next expedition, a trekker wondering whether that green pit viper is dangerous, a Bhutanese student proud of your country’s wildlife, or just someone who thinks frogs are cool — this place is for you.
Stick around, explore the species accounts, and if you ever find something scaly or slimy in Bhutan that isn’t here yet, send me a photo. There are still plenty of discoveries waiting.
Our Services
Research
Our foundation is committed to advancing scientific understanding of Bhutan’s amphibians and reptiles—one of the least-studied herpetofaunas in the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. Through rigorous field surveys across Bhutan’s diverse ecosystems—from subtropical forests to high-altitude wetlands—we document species distributions, population trends, and ecological requirements. These expeditions generate new records, refine distribution maps, and identify critical habitats for threatened and endemic taxa. We actively share knowledge with the public through regular educational posts, field updates, and accessible summaries of our findings. Whether it’s a new frog discovery, insights into snake ecology, or conservation challenges facing Bhutan’s salamanders, we keep supporters informed about real-time progress and the impact of ongoing research. By combining fieldwork with public outreach, we aim to build local capacity, support evidence-based conservation policy, and inspire the next generation of Bhutanese naturalists to protect the Kingdom’s remarkable herpetological heritage.
Events and Outreach​
Our foundation hosts a variety of engaging events designed to foster knowledge exchange, hands-on learning, and enthusiasm for Bhutan’s amphibians and reptiles among researchers, students, and the public.
Annual Herpetological Research Seminar
Held every year in Thimphu (or virtually when needed), this flagship event brings together Bhutanese and international herpetologists to present the latest findings on Himalayan reptiles and amphibians. Topics range from new species discoveries and ecological studies to conservation challenges in a changing climate. It’s an invaluable platform for networking, collaboration, and shaping future research priorities in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.
Discovery Workshops
These interactive half-day or full-day workshops are open to naturalists, photographers, educators, and eco-tourism professionals. Participants learn practical field skills—safe herping techniques, species identification, photographic documentation, and data collection protocols. Led by experienced field biologists, the workshops combine classroom sessions with guided outings, empowering attendees to contribute meaningfully to citizen science and biodiversity monitoring.
Student Events for Field Biology
We regularly organize dedicated programs for school and university students, including field trips, campus talks, and hands-on “Meet the Frogs & Snakes” sessions. These events spark curiosity about Bhutan’s hidden wildlife, introduce basic ecological concepts, and inspire the next generation of conservationists. From guided night walks searching for calling frogs to classroom dissections of amphibian life cycles (using models), we aim to make field biology exciting, accessible, and relevant to young Bhutanese minds.
Through these events, we bridge the gap between research and community, building a stronger network of informed advocates for Bhutan’s remarkable herpetological heritage.
Our Team
This site is built and maintained by a small, dedicated group of field herpetologists, professional photographers, GIS specialists, Bhutanese naturalists, and conservation scientists who have collectively spent decades working in the Himalayas.
Between us we bring:
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Hundreds of weeks of fieldwork across Bhutan’s ecosystems—from the subtropical south to high-altitude wetlands above 4,000 m
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First-hand experience finding, photographing, and documenting more than 90 % of the country’s known reptile and amphibian species
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Expertise in species identification, distribution modeling, IUCN Red List assessment, and vernacular naming in Dzongkha and local dialects
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Close partnerships with Bhutan’s Forest and Park Services, universities, and local communities
Because the people updating this site are the same ones turning over logs and listening for frog calls in the rain, you can trust that every photo, map point, and range extension is grounded in real fieldwork—not just library research. That hands-on knowledge is what keeps this resource accurate, up-to-date, and actually useful for researchers, guides, students, conservation planners, and anyone planning their next trip into Bhutan’s wild corners.
Short, confident, and instantly tells visitors why they should care about who’s behind the keyboard. Drop it in as-is or tweak a word or two—works great on an About or Team page.
Jigme Tenzin
Field Researcher
Blog
Observation of Himalayan Newt Tylototriton himalayanus in Tshangkha, Dagana, Bhutan
Jigme Tshelthrim Wangyal
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Bhutan is known to the outside world as a country with rich biodiversity. However, taxa such as the amphibians have never been taken seriously due to lack of personnel interested in this group of animals. One major significance of the country’s amphibian fauna is the occurrence of the Himalayan Newt Tylotriton cf. himalayanus, which is the sole representative of the order Caudata. In the northern part of its range it has been reported from low hills below 1,000m. In the southern part of its range in India, it is generally an upland species occurring at elevations between 1,000–3,000 m. In Darjeeling District, West Bengal, India, there were 10 documented populations in 1994. The habitats included tea gardens, terrestrial meadows near ponds, vernal pools and woodland areas. Recently a survey in the Darjeeling hills revealed the presence of 16 such breeding populations (Deuti & Hegde 2007). T. himalayanus may be a complex encompassing many habitats.
Observation of Himalayan Newt Tylototriton himalayanus in Namdapaha Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh, India variable forms, some of which may eventually turn out to be a subspecies or even a species of their own. T. verrucosus has the largest range of all species in the genus, which extends from the Yunnan Province in southeastern China, through northern Vietnam, northern Thailand (Wongratana 1984), northern Myanmar, Bhutan, eastern Nepal, and northeastern India (Sikkim, Darjeeling, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh). The distributions formerly acknowledged in Yunnan province, China are now considered T. shanjing, with the exception of those found in the extreme west of the province. It probably occurs more widely than current records suggest, especially in areas between known sites (Zhao 1998).
In spite of being listed in the Schedule II Part II of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, habitat loss from draining of wetlands, change in land use practices and rural development are a serious threat to this species. Water pollution from agrochemicals and domestic detergents, and the extraction of water for irrigation are also degrading its habitat. The species is considered a bad omen and thus killed in certain areas. It is also extensively used as bait for fishing in Manipur. Although more than a century has passed since the description of the species, the ecology of this rare and sporadically distributed amphibian is poorly known. The species is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a broad range of habitats, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for a listing in a more threatened category (IUCN 2006). The species was described by Anderson (1871) from western Yunnan. In India, it has been reported from the low altitudes and cool climate of the Eastern Himalaya of West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur (Kuzmin et al. 1994; Frost 1985; Devi 2000). Mansukhani et al. (1976) reported the occurrence of the net from Arunachal Pradesh and she provided some interesting notes about the habitat of this tailed amphibian. When we were working on the status and distribution of the Malayan Sun Bear in a project funded by the Wildlife Institute of India and the International Bear Association in Namdapha Tiger Reserve, we observed a newt like creature along our transect line. Afterwards we confirmed the creature to be the Himalayan Newt.
Literature cited
Anderson, J. (1871). Description of a new genus of Newt from Western Yunan. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 423-425pp.
Devi, Y.B. (2000). A systematic study on the amphibian fauna of Manipur. PhD Thesis. Manipur University, 256pp.frog leg | #16 | May 2011 26
Dinesh, K.P., C. Radhakrishnan., K.V. Gururaja, K. Deuti & G. Bhatta (2010). Amphibian checklist of India. Website of Zoological Survey of India. (updated till June 2010).
Frost, D.R (1985). Amphibian Species of The World - A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Allen Press & Assoc. Syst. Coll., Lawrence, Kansas, 732pp.
IUCN. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 03 August 2007.
Kuzmin, S.L., R. Dasgupta, & E.M. Smirina (1994): Ecology of the Himalayan Newt (Tylototriton verrucosus) in Darjeeling Himalayas, India. Russian Journal of Herpetology 1(1): 69–76.
Mansukhani, M.R, J.M. Julka & A.K. Sarkar (1976). On occurrence of Himalayan Newt: Tylototriton verrucusos Anderson from Arunachal Pradesh, India. Newsletter of the Zoological Survey of India 2(6): 243–245.
Wongratana, T. (1984). Range extension of Tylototriton verrucosus to Phu Luang, Thailand. Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society. 32: 107–110.
Zhao, E.M. (1998). China Red Data Book of Endangered Animals - Amphibia. Science Press, Beijing.
Mission
Dedicated to the conservation of amphibians and reptiles, the Bhutan Herpetofauna Research Foundation conducts crucial research to protect these species. Our mission is to raise awareness, educate the community, and contribute to the conservation efforts in Bhutan and beyond.
​Our Purpose
Initiatives
Our ongoing projects focus on researching and documenting various species of non-venomous snakes and inedible frogs. These initiatives aim to provide valuable insights into the habitats, behaviors, and conservation status of these fascinating creatures.
Conservation
Support our conservation projects as we strive to safeguard the biodiversity of Bhutan and promote the well-being of its unique herpetofauna.
Education
Explore our educational initiatives and learn how you can actively contribute to the conservation efforts and the preservation of Bhutan's diverse herpetofauna.
Research
3Exceptional Achievement
Become part of our research endeavors and help advance our understanding of the diverse herpetofauna inhabiting Bhutan's rich ecosystems.
