Kanchenjunga Conservation Areaकञ्चनजङ्घा संरक्षण क्षेत्र
Kanchenjunga Conservation Area is a conservation area in Koshi, Nepal, covering 2,035 km². Established in 1997, it is known for Snow leopard, Red panda, Blood pheasant.
Nepal's far-north-eastern wilderness beneath Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak
Area
2,035 km²
Established
1997
Province
Koshi
Managed by
DNPWC with community management
(KCAMC)
Districts
Taplejung
Establishment
Established 1997 (recognised as a 'Gift to the Earth'); handed to community management in 2006.
Key species
- Snow leopard
- Red panda
- Blood pheasant
About the area
The Kanchenjunga Conservation Area occupies Nepal's far north-eastern corner in Taplejung, a remote 2,035 km² of high mountain wilderness established in 1997 after the landscape was recognised as a 'Gift to the Earth'. It cradles the Nepalese flanks of Kangchenjunga, at 8,586 m the world's third-highest mountain, and borders Tibet's Qomolangma preserve to the north and India's Khangchendzonga National Park in Sikkim to the east.
It is a stronghold of snow leopard, red panda and blood pheasant, with notable high-elevation records — a leopard cat at 4,474 m and a melanistic leopard at 4,300 m, both in 2012 — and forms part of the trans-boundary Sacred Himalayan Landscape that links protected areas across three countries.
In 2006 Kanchenjunga became the first conservation area in Nepal to be handed fully to community management, deepening the country's experiment in local stewardship. For visitors it offers the demanding Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek, one of the wildest and least-crowded long routes in the Himalaya.
Where it sits
The highlighted pin is this protected area; the others show Nepal's full network of 20.
Frequently asked questions
How big is Kanchenjunga Conservation Area?+
Kanchenjunga Conservation Area covers 2,035 km². It lies in Taplejung (Koshi province).
When was Kanchenjunga Conservation Area established?+
Kanchenjunga Conservation Area was established in 1997 as a conservation area. Established 1997 (recognised as a 'Gift to the Earth'); handed to community management in 2006.
What type of protected area is Kanchenjunga Conservation Area?+
Kanchenjunga Conservation Area is a conservation area, managed by DNPWC with community management (KCAMC).
What animals live in Kanchenjunga Conservation Area?+
Kanchenjunga Conservation Area is known for Snow leopard, Red panda, Blood pheasant. Nepal's far-north-eastern wilderness beneath Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak.
Sources & data note
Figures for Kanchenjunga Conservation Area as documented by the listed sources. Where reputable sources disagree the discrepancy is stated in the establishment note. Map coordinates are an approximate centre point, not a surveyed centroid.