Editing Myanmar (section)

=== Biodiversity ===
{{main|Wildlife of Myanmar}}
[[File:Kaw Gon towards Shwe Kyar Pwint.jpg|thumb|The limestone landscape of [[Kayin State]]]]
{{further|Deforestation in Myanmar|List of protected areas of Myanmar}}

Myanmar is a [[biodiverse]] country with more than 16,000 [[plant]], 314 [[mammal]], 1131 [[bird]], 293 [[reptile]], and 139 [[amphibian]] species, and 64 terrestrial [[ecosystems]] including tropical and subtropical vegetation, seasonally inundated wetlands, shoreline and tidal systems, and alpine ecosystems. Myanmar houses some of the largest intact natural ecosystems in [[Southeast Asia]], but the remaining ecosystems are under threat from land use intensification and over-exploitation. According to the [[IUCN Red List of Ecosystems]] categories and criteria more than a third of Myanmar's land area has been converted to [[Anthropogenic biome|anthropogenic ecosystems]] over the last 2–3 centuries, and nearly half of its ecosystems are threatened. Despite large gaps in information for some ecosystems, there is a large potential to develop a comprehensive [[protected area network]] that protects its terrestrial biodiversity.<ref>{{cite journal| last1 = Murray | first1 = Nicholas J.| last2 = Keith | first2 = David A.| last3 = Duncan | first3 = Adam| last4 = Tizard | first4 = Robert| last5 = Ferrer-Paris | first5 = Jose R.| last6 = Worthington | first6 = Thomas A.| last7 = Armstrong | first7 = Kate| last8 = Nyan Hlaing | last9 = Win Thuya Htut | last10 = Aung Htat Oo | last11 = Kyaw Zay Ya | last12 = Grantham | first12 = Hedley | date = 2020 | title = Myanmar's terrestrial ecosystems: Status, threats and conservation opportunities
| journal    = Biological Conservation | volume     = 252 | page      = 108834 | doi        = 10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108834 | s2cid = 228850408| doi-access = free | bibcode = 2020BCons.25208834M| hdl = 1959.4/unsworks_73305 | hdl-access = free }}</ref>

Myanmar continues to perform badly in the global [[Environmental Performance Index]] (EPI) with an overall ranking of 153 out of 180 countries in 2016, among the worst in the [[South Asia]]n region. The environmental areas where Myanmar performs worst (i.e. highest ranking) are [[air quality]] (174), health impacts of [[environmental issues]] (143) and [[biodiversity]] and [[habitat]] (142). Myanmar performs best (i.e. lowest ranking) in [[environmental impacts of fisheries]] (21) but with declining [[Fish stocks|fish stock]]s. Despite several issues, Myanmar also ranks 64 and scores very good (i.e. a high percentage of 93.73%) in environmental effects of the agricultural industry because of an excellent management of the [[nitrogen cycle]].<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://epi.yale.edu/reports/2016-report|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204021925/http://epi.yale.edu/reports/2016-report|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 February 2016|title=2016 Report|journal=EPI Report|access-date=17 December 2016}}</ref><ref>EPI (2016): [http://epi.yale.edu/country/myanmar Myanmar] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424221820/http://epi.yale.edu/country/myanmar |date=24 April 2017 }}</ref> Myanmar is one of the most highly vulnerable countries to [[climate change]]; this poses a number of social, political, economic and foreign policy challenges to the country.<ref>Overland, I. et al. (2017). [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320622312 Impact of Climate Change on ASEAN International Affairs: Risk and Opportunity Multiplier] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728065717/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320622312_Impact_of_Climate_Change_on_ASEAN_International_Affairs_Risk_and_Opportunity_Multiplier |date=28 July 2020 }}. Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) and Myanmar Institute of International and Strategic Studies (MISIS).</ref>

Myanmar's slow economic growth has contributed to the preservation of much of its environment and ecosystems. [[Forest]]s, including dense tropical growth and valuable [[teak]] in lower Myanmar, cover over 49% of the country, including areas of [[acacia]], [[bamboo]], [[Hopea odorata|ironwood]] and ''[[Magnolia champaca]]''. [[Coconut]] and [[betel palm]] and rubber have been introduced. In the [[highland]]s of the north, oak, pine and various rhododendrons cover much of the land.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.burmalibrary.org/reg.burma/archives/199909/msg00690.html |title=Myanmar's Forest Law and Rules n |publisher=BurmaLibrary.org |access-date=15 July 2006 |archive-date=11 October 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061011134623/http://www.burmalibrary.org/reg.burma/archives/199909/msg00690.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Heavy logging since the new 1995 forestry law went into effect has seriously reduced forest area and wildlife habitat.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Reid |first1=Robert |last2=Bindloss |first2=Joseph |last3=Butler |first3=Stuart |year=2009 |chapter=Environment: National Parks |title=Myanmar (Burma) |edition=10th |publisher=Lonely Planet |location=Footscray, Victoria, Australia |page=[https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetmyan00joeb/page/85 85] |isbn=978-1-74104-718-9 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetmyan00joeb |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetmyan00joeb/page/85 }}</ref> The lands along the coast support all varieties of tropical fruits and once had large areas of [[Myanmar Coast mangroves|mangroves]] although much of the protective mangroves have disappeared. In much of central Myanmar (the dry zone), [[vegetation]] is sparse and stunted.

Typical jungle animals, particularly [[tiger]]s, occur sparsely in Myanmar. In upper Myanmar, there are [[rhinoceros]], [[wild water buffalo]], [[clouded leopard]], [[wild boar]]s, [[deer]], [[antelope]], and [[elephant]]s, which are also tamed or bred in captivity for use as work animals, particularly in the [[lumber industry]]. Smaller mammals are also numerous, ranging from [[gibbon]]s and [[monkey]]s to [[flying foxes]]. The abundance of [[bird]]s is notable with over 800 species, including [[Rose-ringed parakeet|parrots]], [[myna]], [[peafowl]], [[red junglefowl]], [[weaverbirds]], [[crow]]s, [[heron]]s, and [[Eastern barn owl|barn owl]]. Among reptile species there are [[crocodile]]s, [[gecko]]s, [[cobra]]s, [[Burmese python]]s, and [[turtle]]s. Hundreds of species of freshwater fish are wide-ranging, plentiful and are very important food sources.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myanmars.net/myanmar-culture/myanmar-flora-fauna.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923162044/http://www.myanmars.net/myanmar-culture/myanmar-flora-fauna.htm |archive-date=23 September 2006 |url-status=dead |title="Flora and Fauna" at |publisher=Myanmars.net |access-date=17 April 2010}}</ref>