Crops,Flora & Fauna

  
     
  Around 90% of the geographical area of Sikkim is forest and barren land which has become a good source and house for flora and fauna. The fauna of North Sikkim includes Yaks, Shapi, wild ass, blue sheep etc and the flora includes mostly Rhododendron.  
     
  Crops and Cereals  
  Cardamom is the main cash crop in the district, which makes a premier part of economy. Besides this other crops like rice, millet, corn etc. also grow in limited quantity.  
     
 

Vegetables

Cabbage and Potato are produced in large quantity in Lachung Valley and are exported out of state. Radish too is exported from this area. Besides this other normal vegetables of daily consumption like, peas, cauliflower, green leaves are found all over the district.

  
     
 

Fruits

A large quantity of fruits that is grown in the district is apple which is found in the Lachung Valley. Other fruits like peach, guava, orange, plum,  phunsay grow in limited quantity.

 		 
     
  FAUNA   
 

Yaks

Yaks belong to the cattle family and can survive only at high altitude above 10,000 ft.. They live on alpine shrubs and can manage without food for many days. They can confortable rest and sleep in snow because of their massy thick hair. Yaks are found above Lachung or Lachen, and they have been domesticated by people for consumption of meat and their milk products. A hardened cheese called churpi made from yaks milk is very famous in Sikkim.

 

  
 

Shapi

          This is a very rare animal found in the alpine region. This was discovered only in 1983 by a German doctor Ernest Schalfer in the Lachen Valley area. It looks somewhat similar to Himalayan Thar.

 

  
 

Blue Sheep

Blue Sheep is also called Baharal and is found in Green Lake Basin and the area around the Donkila Pass.

 

  
 

Wild Ass

Locally it is called the Kiang and is found usually in big herds on the platue of Cholamu lake.