Wildlife of Azerbaijan

Wildlife of Azerbaijan consists of its flora and fauna and their natural habitats.

The symbol of Fauna in Azerbaijan is the Karabakh horse (Azeri: Qarabağ At) which is a mountain-steppe racing and riding horse which can only be found in Azerbaijan. It is one of the oldest breeds, with ancestry dating to the ancient world. The horse was originally developed in the Azerbaijani Karabakh region in the 5th century and is named after it [http://www.paralumun.com/horsekarabakh.htm ] .

The natural habitat of various types of animals is very different within the country. Some species populate special restricted areas (lakes, parts of mountainous areas) while others are spread throughout the country. For example, passerines can be found anywhere in the territory of Azerbaijan. Protozoa parasites are also registered in all areas of the country, depending on natural habitat of carrier animals (cattle, poultry, etc.). Among mammals, jeyran gazelles populate plain areas, Caucasian goat inhabits the major Caucasus areas, most species of birds can be found in forests, some in water basins. Pest insects occupy different agricultural fields, while others populate defined biotopes only.

A number of natural preserves have been created and the hunting rules were brought into effect for protection of fur and hoofed animals in Azerbaijan.

Fauna

The animal kingdom of Azerbaijan is very rich, partly due to diversity of its natural complexes.

Mammals

Azerbaijan has the highest amount of mammals in Europe. Some 107 species of mammals have been recorded in Azerbaijan, three of which are unique species. Populair species are Caucasus goats and west-Caucasus moufflons; which inhabit Nakhichevan and western slopes of the major Caucasus in Balakan, Qabala, Zaqatala and Ismayilly regions.
Jeyran gazelles are among the rarest and fastest species in Caucasus they can only be found in Shirvan natural preserve, Bendovan and Korchay regions of Azerbaijan.

Insectivores

*Eastern European hedgehog "Erinaceus concolor"
*East Central European hedgehog "Erinaceus roumanicos"
*Long-eared hedgehog "Hemiechinus auritus"
*Levantine mole "Talpa levantis"
*Gueldenstaedt's shrew "Crocidura gueldenstaedti"
*Bicolored shrew "Crocidura leucodon"
*Transcaucasian water shrew "Neomys schelkovnikovi"
*White-toothed pygmy shrew "Suncus etruscus"
*Caspian shrew "Crocidura caspica"

Bats

*European free-tailed bat "Tadarida teniotis"
*Common pipistrelle "Pipistrellus pipistrellus"
*Kuhl's pipistrelle "Pipistrellus kuhlii"
*Lesser mouse-eared bat "Myotis blythii"
*Whiskered bat "Myotis mystacinus"
*Serotine bat "Eptesicus serotinus"
*Lesser horseshoe bat "Rhinolophus hipposideros"
*Greater horseshoe bat "Rhinolophus ferrumequinum"
*Botta's serotine bat "Eptesicus bottae"
*Mehely's horseshoe bat "Rhinolophus mehelyi"
*Geoffroy's bat "Myotis emarginatus"
*Brown long-eared bat "Plecotus auritus"
*Noctule bat "Nyctalus noctula"
*Savi's pipistrelle "Hypsugo savii"
*Nathusius's pipistrelle "Pipistrellus nathusii"
*Parti-coloured bat "Vespertilio murinus"
*Bent-wing bat "Miniopterus schreibersii"
*Mediterranean horseshoe bat "Rhinolophus euryale"
*Blasius' horseshoe bat "Rhinolophus blasii"
*Natterer's bat "Myotis nattereri"
*Eastern barbastelle bat "Barbastella leucomelas"
*Western barbastelle bat "Barbastella barbastellus"
*Bechstein's bat "Myotis bechsteinii"
*Grey long-eared bat "Plecotus austriacus"
*Leisler's bat "Nyctalus leisleri"
*Northern bat "Eptesicus nilssonii"
*Soprano pipistrelle "Pipistrellus pygmaeus"

=Lagomorphs=

*European hare "Lepus europaeus"
*European rabbit "Oryctolagus cuniculus"

Rodents

*House mouse "Mus musculus"
*Brown rat "Rattus norvegicus"
*Pigmy field mouse "Apodemus uralensis"
*Yellow-breasted mouse "Apodemus fulvipectus"
*Grey hamster "Cricetulus migratorius"
*Water vole "Arvicola terrestris"
*Social vole "Microtus socialis"
*Small five-toed jerboa "Allactaga elater"
*Euphrates jerboa "Allactaga euphratica"
*Libyan jird "Meriones libycus"
*Tristram's jird "Meriones tristami"
*Persian jird "Meriones persicus"
*Vinogradov's jird "Meriones vinogradovi"
*Midday gerbil "Meriones meridianus"
*Turkish hamster "Mesocricetus brandti"
*Azerbaijani mouse-like hamster "Calomyscus urartensis"
*Mole vole "Ellobius lutescens"
*Abbott's mouse "Mus abbotti"
*Fat dormouse "Glis glis"
*Forest dormouse "Dryomys nitedula"
*Common vole "Microtus arvalis"
*Snow vole "Chionomys nivalis"
*Caucasian snow vole "Chionomys gud"
*Robert's snow vole "Chionomys roberti"
*Black Sea field mouse "Apodemus ponticus"
*Striped field mouse "Apodemus agrarius"
*Harvest mouse "Micromys minutus"
*Schelkovnikov's pine vole "Microtus schelkovnikovi"
*Caucasus field mouse "Apodemus hyrcanicus"
*Daghestan pine vole "Microtus daghestanicus"
*Major's pine vole "Microtus majori"
*Nasarov's vole "Microtus nasarovi"
*Persian squirrel "Sciurus anomalus"
*Red squirrel "Sciurus vulgaris"
*Indian porcupine "Hystrix leucura"
*Roof rat "Rattus rattus"
*Coypu "Myocastor coypus"

Carnivores

*Raccoon "Procyon lotor"
*Caspian tiger "Panthera tigris virgata" (probably extinct)
*Grey wolf "Canis lupus"
*Golden jackal "Canis aureus"
*Red fox "Vulpes vulpes"
*Beech marten "Martes foina"
*Eurasian badger "Meles meles"
*Least weasel "Mustela nivalis"
*European otter "Lutra lutra"
*Eurasian lynx "Lynx lynx"
*Brown bear "Ursus arctos"
*Striped hyena "Hyaena hyaena"
*Pine marten "Martes martes"
*Wild cat "Felis silvestris"
*Marbled polecat "Vormela peregusna"
*African wild cat "Felis libyca"
*Pallas's cat "Otocolobus manul"
*Jungle cat "Felis chaus"
*Persian leopard "Panthera pardus saxicolor"
*Caspian Sea Wolf "Canis Lupus Cubanensis"

Pinnipeds

*Caspian seal "Phoca caspica"

Even-toed ungulates

*Wild boar "Sus scrofa"
*Roe deer "Capreolus capreolus"
*Red deer "Cervus elaphus"
*Goitered gazelle "Gazella subgutturosa"
*Chamois "Rupicapra rupicapra"
*Wild goat "Capra aegagrus"
*Asiatic mouflon "Ovis orientalis"
*East Caucasian tur "Capra cylindricornis"

Fishes

The country's fresh water basins and the Caspian Sea account for 97 species of fish of which eight introduced and seven of these have become widespread and over 15 thousand species of invertebrates in Azerbaijan. Most can be found in the Kur River, surrounding lakes, as well as in the Mingechevir reservoir. Most of fish are anadromous or semi-anadromous (the young grow up in salt water and migrate to fresh water to breed after they reach maturity). The most valuable of anadromous fish are salmon, sturgeon, stellate sturgeon and beluga. Aspius, Chalcalburnus and eel are also anadromous fish. Sturgeon meat and caviar are highly valuable. Beside, the water basins of Azerbaiajn contain such valuable fish species as bream, sazan, rutilus kutum and others. Such fish species as herring are fished in the Caspian Sea. Due to the construction of a number of hydrotechnical plants on the Kur river after 1959, the regulation of the river water flow, as well as the Caspian water pollution led to the significant reduction in the number of valuable fish species. Three hatcheries (Kuragzi, Alibayramli and Kur experimental sturgeon hatchery) for melioration and fish-farming purposes were launched to restore the fish reserves and to increase the number of fish in species. Azerbaijan's fish-farming establishments and hatcheries account for breeding of 20 million sturgeons, 600 thousand salmons, over 800 thousand. A new hatchery with the capacity of 20 million sturgeons was put in commission in Khyly in 2000.

Avifauna

Azerbaijan is incredible rich in avifauna. There are 363 species of birds recorded from about 60 families. Around 40% of the species are settled to Azerbaijan, however 27% of these species over-winter here, and 10% pass through on migration. One of the most inspiring bird specie is the Golden Eagle which inhabits mainly mountainous areas such as Nakhichevan. The Golden Eagle has been printed on dozens of stamps and cards in Azerbaijan.

Other

Ten species of amphibians from five families are recorded in Azerbaijan. There are 52 species of reptiles found in Azerbaijan. Most of these species are found in semi-desert areas in Shamakhi and Nakhichevan. Few are found in other lowlands or mountainous areas.

Flora

Azerbaijan has a very rich flora, more than 4,500 species of higher plants have been registed in the country. Due the unique climate in Azerbaijan, the flora is much richer in the number of species than the flora of the other republics of the South Caucasus. About 67% of the species growing in the whole Caucasus can be found in Azerbaijan.

The richness of Azerbaijan's flora and the variety of its vegetation results from the variety and richness of its physical-geographic and natural-historic conditions and from its compound history influenced by the remote floristic regions.

Trees and plants

Relict genera of the tertiary period can be frequently found in all the zones of Azerbaijan, especially in Lenkeran (Talysh regions). They are the iron tree (Parrotia persica), the Lenkoran acacia (Albizia julibrissin), the basket oak (Quercus castaneifolia), the Caucasian persimmon (Diospyros lotus), the evergreen shrub of Ruscus hyrcana, the box tree (Buxus hyrcana), etc. There are 240 endemic species of plants in Azerbaijan.

In the Altyaghach National Park for which 90.5% covered by broad-leaved forests, the major types of trees are iron trees, Caucasus hornbeam, Oriental beech, cud, and birches.

Reserves

Several reserves have been established in Azerbaijan to preserve the fauna, flora and their ecosystems:
* Goy-Gol State Reserve
* Gyzylaghadj State Reserve
* Zagatala State Reserve
* Turyanchay State Reserve
* Pirgulu State Reserve
* Shirvan State Reserve
* Besitchay State Reserve
* Qarayazy State Reserve
* Ismayilly State Reserve
* Qaragol State Reserve
* Ilisu State Reserve
* Shahbuz State Reserve
* Eldar pine-tree State Reserve

ee also

* List of Azerbaijani mammals
* Nature of Azerbaijan
* Karabakh
* National Parks of Azerbaijan
* State Reserves of Azerbaijan

External links