The wildlife of Armenia includes wild boars, porcupines, various lizards, snakes and numerous species of birds. Endangered species living in Armenia are the Caucasian bear, Caucasian bearded goat, the Armenian mouflon (sheep) and the leopard.
Fauna
Fauna in Armenia is diverse given the country's relatively small geographic size, owing to the varied habitats created by the area's mountainous terrain. Armenia is an important area for migratory animals, about 350 different bird species were recorded in the country. Many of the world's domesticated animals originated in or near Armenia, and the mouflon, the ancestor of domesticated sheep, is present there. Research suggests that about a quarter of the animal species in Armenia are internationally endangered. The mouflon is suffering a great population decline due to poaching and habitat loss, and the Sevan trout, which once made up thirty percent of the fish in Lake Sevan, have virtually disappeared.
Southern and south-western Armenia remains the last stronghold for survival of the Persian leopard in the whole Caucasus, in part due to its connectivity with Iran where the main population exists. The total population size in Armenia numbers no more than 10-20 individuals, including adults, sub-adults and cubs. Special calculations were not carried out, but by fragmentary data, their population in Armenia is not more than 25 individuals.
Common wildlife:
- Armenian gull
- Armenian rock lizard
- Brown bear
- Caucasian bear
- Common spoonbill
- Eastern imperial eagle
- Eumeces schneideri
- European otter
- Greek tortoise
- Karabakh horse
- Long-eared hedgehog
- Marbled polecat
- Natterer's bat
- Pallas's cat
- Persian leopard
- African wildcat
- Sevan khramulya
- Sevan trout
- Squacco heron
- Steppe eagle
- Syrian brown bear
- Vipera raddei
- Wild goat
- European badger
- Red deer
- Beech marten
Extinct wildlife:
- Asiatic lion
- Caspian tiger
Flora
- Acer campestre
- Apricot
- Armenian cucumber
- Downy Birch
- Black Poplar
- Elaeagnus angustifolia
- Eurasian smoketree
- European pear
- Common fig
- Hackberry
- Sycamore maple
- White mulberry
- Norway maple
- Armenian oak
- Pomegranate
- White poplar
- Pyrus salicifolia
- Quince
- Sea-buckthorn
- Tatar maple
- Prunus avium
- White willow
References
External links
- List of freshwater fishes for Armenia
- Extinct Armenian animals
- Fauna in Armenia
- Armenia's amphibians and reptiles