Among the five species of shortwing that exist in India, four are found in the Himalayas. Rustybellied Shortwing Brachypteryx hyperythra, a globally threatened species with IUCN status Vulnerable, is endemic to Eastern Himalayas.

The Sikkim government has decided to recruit villagers as honorary mountain guardians or Himal Rakshaks. The decision has already been notified in the state gazette, which says that only villagers

In the Himalayas, subsistence largely depends upon resources derived from natural forests due to the free and easy access to these and simplicity in their use. Sikkim has 43% of its total geographical area under forest cover, of which 34% is under dense forests. The burgeoning human population and family fragmentation are exerting a tremendous pressure on the natural resources to meet the requirements of food, fuel, fodder, timber and other human needs. In recent years, tourism has increased manifolds in Sikkim, which has been one of the major factors behind destruction of forests.