From safari tour to bike ride: Azerbaijan marks Int'l Day of Reserves and National Parks

By Laman Ismayilova

From a safari tour to a bike ride, numerous entertaining activities have been organized in Azerbaijan to mark the International Day of Reserves and National Parks, Azernews reports.

Since 1997, January 11 has been celebrated worldwide as the International Day of Reserves and National Parks at the initiative of the Biodiversity Conservation Center and the World Wildlife Fund to raise public awareness of the importance of the natural beauty preserved in protected areas.

A bike ride and a safari tour were held on the territory of the Shirvan National Park, while a photo tour "Shah Dili in Photo Memory" took place in the Absheron National Park.

Deputy director of the Service for Biodiversity Protection Rashad Allahverdiyev told Azertac that park visitors, who visited national parks overcame ecotourism routes.

He added that educational events and a walking tour with the participation of schoolchildren were held in the Girkan, Aggol, Shahdag, Samur-Yalama, and Gizilagaj.

In Shahdag, Altiagaj and Goygol national parks, visitors experienced real winter joy by skiing and playing snowball.

With the key task of ensuring biodiversity, the national parks give visitors a great opportunity to enjoy nature in all its beauty.

The country's nine national parks, 11 state parks, and 24 state reserves are home to a wide variety of wildlife including eagles, gazelles, bears, wolves, deer, and wild boar.

Shirvan National Park

Established in 2003, Shirvan National Park was created with a view to the conservation of foremost components of a semi-desert landscape, the protection of goitered gazelles listed in the “Red Data Book” of Azerbaijan and species of fauna that are typical to this territory. Its functions also envision the implementation of environmental monitoring, and public environmental education, as well as creating conditions for tourism and recreation.

A chain of hills is the main terrain that developed as a result of the wind’s work and serves as an excellent refuge and shelter for gazelles.

Gazelle is considered a lesser spread species among mammals. In this regard, it exists mostly in Azerbaijan, Front, Middle, and Central Asia. The territory of Azerbaijan is considered the main existing area of the gazelles.

Absheron National Park

The Absheron National Park is a great place for all those fascinated by nature.

Established on the basis of Absheron State Nature Sanctuary, the Absheron National Park stretches 783 ha in the administrative territory of Baku.

The park is situated at the southeastern end of the Absheron peninsula in the Shah Dili territory.

Over 50 birds and animal species are encountered in Absheron National Park.

Gazelle, jackal, fox, rabbit, badger, Caspian seal, birds such as silver gull, wheezing swan, grey and red-headed black, white-eyed black ducks, big white bittern, sandpiper, bald-coot, and other migrant birds have inhabited here.

The Caspian seal, which is considered a rare species, is encountered in the Caspian Sea area of the Absheron National Park, It is observed in the seal cape mostly in May-August.

Notably, the Caspian seal is included in the Guinness Book Records as the smallest seal in the World Ocean.

Nearly 25 plant species exist in Absheron National Park. Some 17 species as well as one grown species of wormwood are encountered in Azerbaijan.

Shahdag National Park

The Shahdag National Park covers a territory of 115,895 ha, including five regions of the country. The park was established in December 2006 to preserve mountain forests and pasture ecosystems located in high mountainous areas.

The landscape of the territory is fantastic and the mountains attract not only tourists but also sportsmen to the highest peak of the country, Bazarduzu Mountain of 4,466 meters above sea level.

The major types of trees are Caucasus Oak, Caucasus, European Hornbeam, Oriental Hornbeam, Oriental Beech, Silver Birch, Birch, Common Yew, White Willow, Common Walnut, Wild Cherry, etc.

The Shadag National Park is home to the rare East Caucasus tur, a mountain-dwelling goat antelope found only in the eastern half of the Caucasus Mountains. Other large mammals found here are the Caucasus, Bezoar ibex, domestic goat, Caucasus lynx, Syrian brown bear, wild boar, Indian wolf, common jackal, common jungle cat, red fox, roe deer, and others.

Altiagach National Park

Altiagach is mostly covered by temperate deciduous broadleaved forests. The major types of trees are Persian Ironwood (Parrotia persica), Caucasian Oak (Quercus macranthera), Caucasian Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa), European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), Oriental Hornbeam (Carpinus orientalis), Oriental Beech (Fagus orientalis), Silver Birch (Betula pendula), White Birch (Betula pubescens), etc.

Established in 2004, the national park is home to the rare East Caucasian tur (Capra cylindricornis), a mountain-dwelling goat antelope found only in the eastern half of the Caucasus Mountains. Other large mammals found here are the lynx (Lynx lynx), brown bear (Ursus arctos), wild boar (Sus scrofa), wolf (Canis lupus), golden jackal (Canis aureus), jungle cat (Felis chaus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), badger (Meles meles), and otter (Lutra lutra), etc.

Goygol National Park

Anyone visiting the Land of Fire should enjoy the magnificent views at Goygol National Park.

A cold climate with dry winters prevails in the area. The annual temperature of the weather wavers between 4-10 degrees C. Annual precipitation is 600-900 mm.

It includes one of the most beautiful and cleanest lakes in Azerbaijan - Goygol.

The lake gets its name from its deep blue-colored water. It was formed in 1939 as a result of the earthquake that occurred in Ganja. Kapaz mountain tumbled down and blocked up the Aghsuchay river.

The water in the lake is always cold even in August and does not rise above +17?C.

More than 423 types of trees, shrubs, and medicinal plants grow here. In the surrounding forests, you can meet wolves, foxes, deer, jackals, bears, lynxes, and many other animals. The lake area is ideal for walking, traveling, and family picnics. Recreation on the shore of the fresh lake is the best decision on hot days.