Caucasian Leopard caught on camera in Arevik National Park
The trap cameras located in Arevik National Park have spotted another Caucasian Leopard in south of Armenia. The footages of the leopard were published by “Zangezur” Biosphere Complex. For the first time the trap cameras of the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) fixed the presence of the Caucasian Leopard in the country in 2015. Later in 2019, rangers from Arpa Protected Landscape of Armenia’s Vayots Dzor province spotted the rare leopard during their regular observation and recorded a video of him.
The Caucasian or Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor), is one of the most endangered species living in the Caucasus. This leopard subspecies can be found in the South Caucasus countries, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. Some experts estimate there are less than 1300 leopards left in wild.
To remind, 2019 was declared a Year of the Caucasian Leopard in Armenia aimed at contributing 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. According to 2018 data, around 7-9 leopards are registered in Armenia, their habitats being Ararat, Vayots Dzor and Syunik regions.