The Caucasus is a region of amazing beauty. Located at the junction of two climatic zones, the region is striking in its diversity of landscapes, nationalities, and wildlife.
By the number of animal species, it is second only to tropical countries. But the air temperature here is about 5 ° C lower than in other places located at the same latitude.
The animals of the Caucasus are not only well-known jackals, foxes, hares. This is a lot of rare species that live in inaccessible places. In the Caucasus, alpine chamois still able to move through the mountains at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour are still preserved. Here proud Caucasian tours live, cautious leopards, fearless bezoar goats that can move along steep cliffs. Bears, wild boars, bison, Eurasian lynxes, deer, roe deer - all of them are listed in the Red Book, but still feel at home in the Caucasus region.
In order to preserve endemic animals, a unique biosphere, rare plants preserved in the mountains and plains, reserves have been created in the Caucasus. They represent the highest form of conservation. They are created on strictly allocated plots of land protected by the state. Observations, studies are carried out in nature reserves, but most importantly, flora and fauna are protected, stability and safety are guaranteed.
In 1998, the Association was created, which included the following reserves of the Caucasus:
• At the junction of Adygea, Krasnodar Territory and Karachay-Cherkessia, there is the Caucasian Nature Reserve. The full name of the territory is the Caucasian State Natural Biosphere Reserve. It rises above the sea for 3.5 km. From the south it is bounded by steep, very steep slopes, and in the north its territory is flat. The Caucasus Nature Reserve is the oldest protected area in the modern Caucasus. Today it is included in the list of objects of particular value to UNESCO.
Previously, a state reserve was located in this territory, in which bison were bred. Then the status was expanded, and the Caucasian Reserve became the assignee of its predecessor.
Today, 19 families of mammals live there. On the territory exceeding 280 hectares, representatives of the family of hedgehogs, carotid, bear, mustelids, bovids, deer and a dozen rare species coexist beautifully. Many animals are endemic or relict.
It is interesting that the Caucasian reserve sheltered representatives of not only the Caucasian fauna. There you can find specimens of European, Mediterranean, Colchis fauna. The Caucasus Nature Reserve is one of the largest in Europe.
• The Teberdinsky Reserve borders on the Caucasus. The vast majority of its territory is located significantly higher than the sea (2,000 m), and some places rise to 4,000 meters. The climate here is similar to the sea, and vertically there are three mountain zones: forest, meadow, nival. The reserve is home to animals characteristic of Central Asia, Western Europe, and the Mediterranean.
• The North Ossetian reserve is famous for its temperate continental climate, an abundance of snowfalls, and glacial winds. Here live 2,000 invertebrates of various species, the same number of insects, 175 species of birds, 35 animal species.
The Association of Caucasus Reserves also includes the following:
• Kabardino-Balkarian;
• Erzi located in Ingushetia;
• Voronezh;
• Kabardino-Balkarian;
• The reserve "Black lands";
• Bogdinsko-Baskunchaksky;
• Abkhazian “Ritsen relic national park”;
• Sochi park (national).
This is not the whole list of Caucasian reserves. There are 27 of them. Most of them are small in territory (up to 30 ha). Most of them are located in the Transcaucasian republics, but all are important.
But according to scientists, even so many reserves are not enough to maintain normal conditions for endangered animals. It is necessary in the near future to create those in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Dagestan.
The common role of all nature reserves is the same: they are designed to preserve natural objects, climate, flora and fauna.
The stability that parks and reserves provide to animals serves as a guarantee of their survival.