Khotokha. 07/05/12; Wangdue Dzongkhag; 114 ha; 27°25'55"N 89°59'33"E. Located west of the Black Mountain range, Khotokha wetland is one of the sources for the tributaries of the Puna Tsang Chhu river. The water seeping out of the marshes form small gully streams that accumulate and flow south, providing drinking water and irrigation water for potato farms, the main cash crop of the area. The subalpine shrub marsh, consisting of peat bogs and fens, is one of the last remaining places in Bhutan where summer-winter migrations of farmers are practiced. The site provides one of the main wintering sites in the biogeographic region for the vulnerable Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) and is also home to other endangered species such as the Himalayan Musk Deer (Moschus leucogaster) and the Asiatic Wild Dog (Cuon alpines primaevus). The cranes winter at the site due to the good roosting ground in the marshes and feeding ground in the farmlands. The local inhabitants live in harmony with the migratory birds, considering them sacred and a sign of good harvest. However, the number of cranes has been dwindling over the years. Logging activities surrounding the wetland are leading to noise pollution and increased sedimentation of the rivers. Ramsar Site no. 2033. Most recent RIS information: 2012.