General description:
The area (about 627 ha) is located at the southern slopes of Meghri mountain ridge at elevations from 1305 to 2328 m above sea level. The average steepness of slopes is from 15˚ to 30˚. The area includes tragacanth and esparcet mountain steppe, meadows, and broad-leafed forest. Dominant vegetation among herbs are various grasses (Poa sp. Festuca sp. etc), and legumes (Astragallus sp., Onobrychis sp. Trifolium sp., etc.); among bushes are tragacanths, and Onobrychis cornuta, rosehip (Rosa sp.), hawthorn (Crataegus sp.), honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.), and others; among trees are oak (Quercus sp.) and hornbeam (Carpinus sp.). The area is characterized by moderate dry climate, with worm and relatively dry summers. Description of butterfly diversity: Number of butterfly species in the area – 105 (45% of total number of species in Armenia). None of the species included in IUCN Red List, 5 species included in European Red List, 4 species included in National Red Data Book. The species of national and international concern are: Parnassius mnemosyne, Leptidea duponcheli, Colias aurorina, Proterebia afra, Coenonympha leander, Coenonympha arcania, Hipparchia syriaca, Chazara briseis, Chazara bischoffi, Clossiana euphrosina, Argynnis adippe, Argynnis aglaja, Euphydryas aurinia, Satyrium abdominalis, Lycaena candens, Callophrys paulae, Pseudophilotes vicrama, Iolana iolas, Polyommatus firdussii, Polyommatus vanesis, Polyommatus zarathustra. Threats: Major threats are related to habitat change due to road construction. The road construction in this rigorous terrain and very steep slopes is often implemented as serpentine and it destroys habitat at 100-200m each side and fragments the habitat. The area serves as summer pasture, and thus is threatened by free grazing of livestock (mainly cattle, goats, and sheep) from June to August. The latest removes host-plants of key species, destroys productive top-soil at the slopes by feet of livestock, and in the forest it prevents regeneration of trees due to elimination of young growth. The listed threats affect all the species of the area but are especially dangerous for the Parnassius mnemosyne, Proterebia afra, which grow on the herbs, for Chazara bischoffi, Leptidea duponcheli, Callophrys paulae, Polyommatus firdussii, and Polyommatus vanensis, which are represented in the region by the only population, and also for Polyommatus zarathustra, which has only one known population in the world located in the Gyumorats area. Local children have a habit of burning tragacanths and esparcet Onobrychis cornuta that is extremely destroying for populations of Leptidea duponcheli, Colias aurorina, Callophrys paulae, Polyommatus firdussii, and Polyommatus vanensis, since it eliminates their host-plants. To secure conservation of the area it is important to strengthen the protection regime and restriction of grazing. Since it can influence local inhabitants, it is important to provide alternative pasturelands and support development of ecotourism in the area. During 2014 negotiations with the staff of National Park Arevik (now Zangezur Biosphere Complex) have been conducted on strengthening of protections regime, also butterfly-watching trails "Gyumorats forest" and "Gyumorats steppe" have been designed, the personnel of the National Park was trained in species identification and trail guiding. |
© BirdLinks Armenia NGO, 2014
Charity Registration Number 03A968527
Charity Registration Number 03A968527