Editing Protected area (section)

== Bhutan as a role model ==
Scientists advocate that 50% of global land and seas be converted to inter-connected protected areas to sustain these benefits.<ref name="MR">{{Cite journal |last1=Dorji |first1=Sangay |last2=Rajaratnam |first2=Rajanathan |last3=Vernes |first3=Karl |date=1 October 2019 |title=Mammal richness and diversity in a Himalayan hotspot: the role of protected areas in conserving Bhutan's mammals |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-019-01821-9 |journal=Biodiversity and Conservation |language=en |volume=28 |issue=12 |pages=3277–3297 |doi=10.1007/s10531-019-01821-9 |bibcode=2019BiCon..28.3277D |issn=1572-9710 |s2cid=199370519|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The Asian country [[Bhutan]] achieved this high-reaching target by reserving 51.4% of the country's area as protected areas interconnected through [[Wildlife corridor|biological corridors]].<ref name="MR" /> Although these networks are well regulated (local communities are aware of their importance and actively contribute to their maintenance), Bhutan is currently a developing country that is undergoing infrastructure development and resource collection.<ref name="MR" /> The country's economic progression has brought about human-wildlife conflict and increased pressure on the existence of its protected areas. In light of ongoing disputes on the topic of optimal land usage, Dorji (et al.), in a study using camera traps to detect wildlife activity, summarize the results of a nationwide survey that compares the biodiversity of Bhutan's protected areas versus that of intervening non-protected areas.

The study indicated that Bhutan's protected areas "are effectively conserving medium and large mammal species, as demonstrated through the significant difference in mammal diversity between protected areas, biological corridors, and non-protected areas with the strongest difference between protected areas and non-protected areas".<ref name="MR" /> Protected areas had the highest levels of mammal biodiversity. This is made possible by the restriction of commercial activity and regulation of consumptive uses (firewood, timber, etc.).<ref name="MR" /> The regulation of such practices has allowed Bhutan's protected areas to thrive with high carnivore diversity and other rare mammals such as [[Chinese pangolin]], [[Indian pangolin]], mountain weasel (''[[Mustela altaica]])'', small-toothed [[Ferret-badger|ferret badger]], [[Asian small-clawed otter|Asian small clawed otter]], the tiger, dhole ''([[Dhole|Cuon alpinus]]''), [[Binturong]], [[clouded leopard]] and Tibetan fox (''[[Tibetan fox|Vulpes ferrilata]])''.<ref name="MR" /> Also found to be prevalent were the large herbivore species: Asiatic water buffalo [[Wild water buffalo|Bubalus arnee]], [[Gee's golden langur|golden langur]], [[musk deer]], and [[Asian elephant]].<ref name="MR" /> The maintenance of these charismatic megafauna and other threatened species can be attributed to the intensity of Bhutan's management of its protected areas and its local communities' commitment to preserving them.