Fauna of Azerbaijan
Encyclopedia
Fauna of Azerbaijan or Animal Kingdom of Azerbaijan refers to the diversity of various types of animals, which inhabit and populate a defined ground or water area in Azerbaijan
.
The first reports on the richness and diversity of animal life in Azerbaijan can be found in travel notes of Eastern travelers. Animal carvings on architectural monuments, ancient rocks and stones survived up to the present times. The first information on the animal kingdom of Azerbaijan was collected during the visits of naturalists to Azerbaijan in 17th century. Unlike fauna, the concept of animal kingdom covers not only the types of animals, but also the number of individual species.
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
. The Karabakh horse has a reputation for its good temper, speed, elegance and intelligence. 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/
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.
, 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.
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 Azerbaijan 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.
. 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 species is the Golden Eagle
which inhabits mainly mountainous areas such as Nakhchivan. The Golden Eagle has been printed on dozens of stamps and cards in Azerbaijan.
and Nakhchivan. Few are found in other lowlands or mountainous areas. In 1937, members of the Opilio lepidus
species of harvestman
were sited in the country.
to preserve the fauna
, flora
and their ecosystems:
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
.
The first reports on the richness and diversity of animal life in Azerbaijan can be found in travel notes of Eastern travelers. Animal carvings on architectural monuments, ancient rocks and stones survived up to the present times. The first information on the animal kingdom of Azerbaijan was collected during the visits of naturalists to Azerbaijan in 17th century. Unlike fauna, the concept of animal kingdom covers not only the types of animals, but also the number of individual species.
The symbol of Fauna in Azerbaijan is the Karabakh
Karabakh
The Karabakh horse , also known as Karabakh, is a mountain-steppe racing and riding horse. It is named after the geographic region where the horse was originally developed, Karabakh in the Southern Caucasus, an area that is de jure part of Azerbaijan but the highland part of which is currently...
horse (Azeri
Azerbaijani language
Azerbaijani or Azeri or Torki is a language belonging to the Turkic language family, spoken in southwestern Asia by the Azerbaijani people, primarily in Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran...
: Qarabağ At) which is a mountain-steppe racing and riding horse which can only be found in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. The Karabakh horse has a reputation for its good temper, speed, elegance and intelligence. 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/
General information
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.
Animal Kingdom
The animal kingdom of Azerbaijan is very rich, partly due to diversity of its natural complexes.Mammals
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 Nakhchivan and western slopes of the major Caucasus in BalakanBalakan
Balakan is a rayon of northwestern Azerbaijan, located between Georgia and Russia. It borders Georgia to south and Dagestan of Russia to east and north...
, Qabala
Qabala
Qabala is a rayon of Azerbaijan. Its administrative center is the historic town of Qəbələ, which in ancient times was known as the capital of Caucasian Albania....
, 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.
Fish
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
, sturgeon
Sturgeon
Sturgeon is the common name used for some 26 species of fish in the family Acipenseridae, including the genera Acipenser, Huso, Scaphirhynchus and Pseudoscaphirhynchus. The term includes over 20 species commonly referred to as sturgeon and several closely related species that have distinct common...
, stellate sturgeon and beluga. Aspius
Aspius
Aspius is a genus of Eurasian cyprinid fish. There are currently two recognized species in the genus.-Species:* Aspius aspius * Aspius vorax Heckel, 1843...
, Chalcalburnus
Chalcalburnus
Chalcalburnus is a genus of ray-finned fish in the Cyprinidae family. Most of the species of this genus are moved to the genus Alburnus....
and eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
are also anadromous fish. Sturgeon meat and caviar
Caviar
Caviar, sometimes called black caviar, is a luxury delicacy, consisting of processed, salted, non-fertilized sturgeon roe. The roe can be "fresh" or pasteurized, the latter having much less culinary and economic value....
are highly valuable. Beside, the water basins of Azerbaijan 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 incredibly rich in avifaunaBird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
. 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 species is the Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
which inhabits mainly mountainous areas such as Nakhchivan. 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 ShamakhiShamakhi
Shamakhi or Shamakhy is a rayon of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and a town in the rayon. It is the historical center of the region of Shirvan.The town is west of Baku. It has more than 20,000 inhabitants, among them Azerbaijanis and Russians...
and Nakhchivan. Few are found in other lowlands or mountainous areas. In 1937, members of the Opilio lepidus
Opilio lepidus
Opilio lepidus is a species of harvestman in the Phalangiidae family. In 1937, members of the species were sited in Lankaran, Azerbaijan....
species of harvestman
Opiliones
Opiliones are an order of arachnids commonly known as harvestmen. , over 6,400 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide, although the real number of extant species may exceed 10,000. The order Opiliones can be divided into four suborders: Cyphophthalmi, Eupnoi, Dyspnoi and Laniatores...
were sited in the country.
Reserves
Several reserves have been established in AzerbaijanAzerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
to preserve the fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
, flora
Flora of Azerbaijan
Flora of Azerbaijan or Vegetation of Azerbaijan refers to the plants, trees, flowers which can be found in Azerbaijan.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...
and their ecosystems:
- Goy-Gol State Reserve
- Gyzylaghadj State Reserve
- Zagatala State ReserveZagatala State ReserveZagatala State Reserve was established on the area of 252 km² on of Zagatala and Balakan districts in the central part of southern slopes of the Caucasus; in Azerbaijan....
- Zakatala State ReserveZakatala State ReserveThe reserve of Zakatala, located in the north of Azerbaijan, was created in 1929. It consists of an area of 25.218 ha on the southern slopes of the Caucasus mountains.- Wildlife :...
- Turyanchay State Reserve
- Pirgulu State ReservePirgulu State ReservePirgulu State Reserve was established on the area of 15.21 km² in 1968 for protecting mountain forests, herbage of different kinds, fertile soil, expanding forest areas, preventing air pollution that has a negative impact on astroclimate. The flora of the reserve includes over 60 species...
- Shirvan State ReserveShirvan State ReserveShirvan State Reserve was established on the area of 177.45 km² of a part of Bendovan State Game reserve in 1969 for the purpose of protecting and increasing the number of water birds. The area of the reserve was expanded to 258 km² in 1982. Water reserves account for 35 km² of the area. The...
- Besitchay State Reserve
- Qarayazy State Reserve
- Ismayilly State Reserve
- Qaragol State Reserve
- Ilisu State ReserveIlisu State ReserveIlisu State Reserve was established on the area of 93 km² in 1987. It aims to protect natural complexes of southern slopes of Major Caucasus, to preserve rare and endangered flora and fauna, to restore forests and prevent erosion of soil and flood. The reserve accounts for 500 plant species with...
- Shahbuz State ReserveShahbuz State ReserveShakhbuz State Reserve was created on the area of 31.39 km² of Shakhbuz administrative district of Nakhchivan by a decree of President of Azerbaijan on June 16, 2003. The area of Batabat lake is mainly surrounded by grassland. Medicinal herbs, oak trees etc. dominate the flora of the area...
- Eldar pine-tree State Reserve
See also
- Nature of AzerbaijanNature of AzerbaijanThe environment of Azerbaijan includes a wide diversity of climates, animals, plants, and habitats.-National protection:Due to the tapping of oil reserves in the early 20th century, Azerbaijan has had sufficient resources to develop an industrial sector, which in turn led to a significant increase...
- Karabakh Horse
- National Parks of AzerbaijanNational Parks of AzerbaijanNational Parks of Azerbaijan refers to the situation and the listing of national parks in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The national parks of Azerbaijan are run by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. The first national park that was established in Azerbaijan, is the Zangezur National Park...
- State Reserves of AzerbaijanState Reserves of AzerbaijanState Reserves of Azerbaijan refers to the state reserves in Azerbaijan, which preserve the fauna, flora and their ecosystems.State Reserves bear the status of governmental establishments aimed at environmental protection and scientific researches. They are particularly designed for the protection...