Fauna of Azerbaijan |
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In
the arid and semiarid lowlands a large portion
of the animal life is reptilian, though in the mountains, goats, deer,
lynx, bear, wolves, foxes, raccoons, weasels, marten, hedgehogs,
shrews, badgers and wild boar are found. Azerbaijan has over 12,000 animal
species. There are gazelles (Jeyran) on the coastal plains, and camels
in the Kura plain.
Some 40 of rodents live in the country, including jerboas, squirrels, voles, jirds, mice, hamsters and the Indian Porcupine (Hystrix indica) porcupines in the Talysh forests south of Lenkoran. Bats are everywhere, with 30 species living in Azerbaijan. There are 52 species of reptiles in the country, most of these species are found in semi-desert areas in Shamakhi and Nakhchivan. Amphibians are less common, only 10 species. Azerbaijan is home to a rare species of leopard found only in remote areas of the southern Caucasus Mountains and currently facing extinction (Caucasus Leopard / Panthera pardus ciscaucasica). The WWF considers it the most critically endangered species in the Caucasus Ecoregion. The species is threatened by poachers who kill the animals and sell their highly-prized skins on the black market. The southern part of the country used to have tigers, but the Caspian tiger (Panthera tigris virgata) is now almost certainly since the 1970s, in spite of some alleged sightings. Striped hyenas can occasionally be spotted in the warm areas. There are 363 species of birds, from about 60 families. Around 40% of the bird species are resident. One of the most inspiring bird specie is the Golden Eagle which inhabits mainly mountainous areas such as Nakhichevan. If you love bird watching, head south: over 200 species of birds be seen in the Kizilagach / Kizilagadj Reserve (in the Lenkoran lowlands). The
waters of the Caspian are abundant in sturgeon (four fifths of the
world's sturgeon are found here - although stocks are dwindling due to
over fishing), along with herring, salmon, the rare pike perch and other
less important species. The Caspian sea's only marine mammal, the Caspian
seal (Phoca caspica), is now almost completely gone from the Azeri coast.
National Parks of Azerbaijan * Ordubad National Park * Shirvan National Park * Ag-Gol National Park * Hirkan National Park * Altyaghach National Park * Absheron National Park State
Reserves of Azerbaijan
State
Game Reserves of Azerbaijan
Minor Caucasus:
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