In the Himalayan region north of the Tropic of Cancer, fauna shares the Indian realm with areas of north-eastern India. The large overlap area between zoogeographical and vegetative zones - extending from around Myitkyina in the north to the Bago in the central region - means that much of Myanmar is a potential habitat for plants and animals from all three zones.
 

Myanmar is rich in bird life, with an estimated one thousand resident and migrating species. Coastal and inland waterways of the delta and the southern peninsula are especially important habitats for South-East Asian waterfowl.

The astounding avian diversity of Myanmar is in part due to the great number of ecosystems found here ranging from the Himalayan heights of northern Kachin State along the Tibet border to the tropical wonders of the Mergui Archipelago near the Thai border. Myanmar’s immense ecological diversity and vast tracks of intact habitat in these and other areas, have made it a haven for countless bird species.

It is estimated that roughly 1,100 resident and migratory species can be found in Myanmar. Some species are on the verge of extinction such as Gurney's Pitta, White-winged wood duck, White-shouldered Ibis, White-rumped Vulture and the Slender-billed Vulture. Four endemic species in Myanmar include the White-throated Babbler, Burmese Bushlark, Hooded Treepie and White-browed Nuthatch. The White-browed Nuthatch can only be seen in Natmataung National Park where roughly 280 other bird species also can be seen. 

Other bird hotspots such as Mt Popa are known to contain two endemic species; Burmese Bushlark and Hooded Treepie as well as 176 other forest bird species. Other species found around Myanmar include the Burmese Shrike, Burmese Duck, Banded Broadbill, Beach Thick-knee & Hainan Blue Flycatcher.

The mixed deciduous forests of Northern Myanmar’s eastern Himalayan wilderness – an area recently converted into a reserve known as the Hkakabo Razi National Park- contains over 300 bird species.

Distinctive mammals of renown - found in dwindling numbers within the more heavily forested areas of Myanmar- include leopards, jungle cats, fishing cats, civets, Indian mongoose, crab-eating mongoose, Himalayan bear, Asiatic black bears, Malayan sun bears, Gaur (Indian bison), Banteng (wild cattle), Serow (an Asiatic mountain goat), Wild boar, Sambar, barking deer, mouse deer, tapirs, pangolin, gibbons and macaques.

An estimated 2000 tigers are thought to inhabit the primary forests, about four times as many as in neighbouring Thailand. Around 10,000 Asian elephants - approx one third of all elephants on earth are widely distributed in Myanmar. Among these are 6000 pachyderms that make up the world's largest herd of working elephants, most of which are used in logging and agriculture. I

Both the one-horned rhinoceros and the Asiatic two-horned rhinoceros are believed to survive in very small numbers near the Thai border in the Kayin State. The rare Red panda (or cat bear) was last sighted in northern Myanmar in the early 1960s but is still thought to live in Kachin State forests above 2000 metres.

Herpetofauna includes  dolphins, dugongs, four sea-turtle species along with numerous snake varieties, of which  52 are venomous. These include the common cobra, king cobra, banded krait, Malayan viper, green viper and Russell's pit viper.