Photographer: Norbu
Blyth’s Tragopan
We are excited to share a photograph of the Blyth’s Tragopan, an incredibly rare sighting in Bhutan. Although there were previous reports of this species in Bhutan, there was no concrete information about their presence. Just before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to our local network, we obtained limited evidence of sightings of this bird in the remote far east of Bhutan.
Subsequently, our team boarded on a challenging scouting trip to this location, which lacked access to motorable roads. This journey involved hours of walking through leech-infested terrain and camping in very basic facilities. Our determination paid off when we were rewarded with sightings of not one but two species of Tragopan: Blyth’s Tragopan and Temminck’s Tragopan, both of which were poorly documented in Bhutan. Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the closure of tourism, we were unable to further explore this exciting discovery.
However, with the reopening of tourism after the pandemic, we are extremely proud to be the first to offer trips for foreign clients to witness these special birds. One of our dedicated clients expressed a keen interest in pursuing this opportunity. After extensive discussions regarding logistics and the expected level of service, we decided to board on this mission together.
Despite the challenges of navigating the forest with leeches and various flies and camping with minimal facilities, we managed to spot these species on our very first night. It took us a bit longer to capture reasonable photographs of these elusive birds, but our determination paid off. Despite all the hardships, we are delighted with the success of our trip and look forward to sharing this unique experience with more of our clients in the days to come.