Kangchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA)is the only protected area of Nepal managed by local communities. It is situated in the far eastern and northern parts of Nepal as transnational protected area between Sikkim, India, Tibet Autonomous Region of China and Nepal. This area covers more than 56 per cent of the total area of Taplejung district with 2035 square kilometres. Due to its high altitudinal variation from 1200 m to 8,586 m (with world's third highest mountain, Mt. Kangchenjunga), it has diverse climatic zones (from subtropical to alpine) resulting in unique and high biodiversity in comparison to its size. KCA receives good rainfall from April-May to September-October and the average rainfall is 2,013 mm/yr. There are good networks of rivers including snow-fed river Tamor, Ghunsa, Simbuwa, Kabeli and other small tributaries.