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A draft decision of the Government has been worked out by the Ministry of Nature Protection proposing to declare 2019 a year of Caucasian leopard in Armenia.

It is noted that the necessity is conditioned by the fact that in the spring of 2018, the World Wildlife Fund photojournalists, filmed a Caucasian leopard in Khosrov Forest State Reserve for the first time in the history of the reserve, with no records made by photographers previously.

The same draft also suggests to approve the 2019 state program of the Preservation of the Caucasian Leopard.

Since 2002, the Ministry of Nature Protection and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF Armenia) have been implementing a Caucasus Leopard Preservation Program in Armenia. The main objective of the project is to increase the population and protect the habitats of the leopard which is on the verge of extinction, as well as of other species, like Bezoar goat, Armenian mouflon.

The species is registered in the Red Book of Armenia and is on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as "critical".  At present, 7-9 leopards are registered in Armenia, their habitats being Ararat, Vayots Dzor and Syunik regions.

The ministry believes that the adoption of the project will give an opportunity to develop and strengthen specially protected areas both in terms of nature protection and ecotourism organization.

"The recorded photos show that after the fire last year the nature is being restored given that the leopard has returned to the reserve, it means that it has plenty of species to hunt. The leopard photoshoots are more obliging, since we should be more careful and strengthen the system of preservation of the protected areas of the Republic of Armenia, " said the project's authors.

The government believes that the adoption of the draft resolution "On Approving the 2019 State Program for the Preservation of the Caucasian Leopard and the Declaration of 2019 a Year of the Caucasian Leopard" will contribute to the broader coverage of the leopard which is on the verge of extinction through the organization of assemblies, films and exhibitions as well as raising the public awareness.