Almost half of Myanmar is forested and the supplies of teak and other hardwoods are among the country's most valuable resources, though at risk from over-exploitation. Along the coasts there are tidal mangrove forests and, in the north, pine snow forests. Myanmar has a rich supply of bamboo, many types of fruit trees, palms and flowering plants such as hibiscus and rhododendrons.
The bird life of the country is also rich and varied with the river deltas an important habitat for the region's water birds.
Rare animals include the red panda and rhinoceros. Tigers and elephants are more common and bears, leopards, wild cats and buffalo are among the native mammals. Dolphins and dugongs are found off the coast and in the rivers.
Myanmar has three national parks and seventeen wildlife sanctuaries. The Hlawga Wildlife Park is the home of seventy types of herbivores and ninety species of birds.
There is a problem of deforestation because the hardwoods such as teak are slow growing and cannot renew themselves fast enough to keep up with the logging. Rhinoceros and tigers are killed for the medicine market. There is concern over that over-fishing will deplete the fish stocks in the coastal regions and rivers.
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