The reserve of Zakatala, located in the north of 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...

, was created in 1929. It consists of an area of 25.218 ha on the southern slopes of the Caucasus

Caucasus

The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...

 mountains.

Wildlife

At higher altitudes glaciers and alpine meadows can be found and are characteristic of the reserve. Leafy forests extend to the foot of the mountains, mainly compromising of Oriental Beeches

Oriental Beech

Fagus orientalis, the Oriental Beech, is a deciduous tree in the beech family Fagaceae. The natural range extends from southeast Bulgaria's Strandja mountain through northwest Turkey east to the Caucasus and Alborz Mountains of Iran. It is restricted to mountain forests, at 500-2,100 m altitude...

 (Fagus orientalis).

The fauna of mammals is rich, including Caucasian brown bears and lynxes.
The reserve is also known for its diverse range of birds such as 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...

 (Aquilla chrysaetos), Egyptian Vulture

Egyptian Vulture

The Egyptian Vulture is a small Old World vulture, found widely distributed from southwestern Europe and northern Africa to southern Asia. It is the only living member of the genus Neophron. It has sometimes also been known as the White Scavenger Vulture or Pharaoh's Chicken...

 (Neophron percnopterus), Griffon Vulture

Griffon Vulture

The Griffon Vulture is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae.The Griffon Vulture is long with a wingspan. In the nominate race the males weigh and females typically weigh , while in the Indian subspecies the vultures average...

 (Gyps fulvus), but especially Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) and Monk Vulture (Aegypius monachus).

Among the local species, Shikra

Shikra

The Shikra is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae found widely distributed in Asia and Africa where it is also called the Little Banded Goshawk. The African forms may represent a separate species but have usually been considered as subspecies of the Shikra...

 (Accipiter badius) can be found along the rivers and Caucasian Snowcock

Caucasian Snowcock

The Caucasian Snowcock, Tetraogallus caucasicus , is a snowcock in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds....

(Tetraogallus caucasicus) are present in the rock falls.