Posted on June, 04 2014

In May 2014, WWF Azerbaijan in the cooperation with the Bioresourses Institute of Nakhchivan branch of Azerbaijan NAS, the Ministry of Education of Nakhchivan AR and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resourses of Nakhchivan AR held the award ceremony of artist competition on “Leopard is the pride of our mountains” which was followed with the seminar at Kotam village located in leopard habitats in Nakchivan AR. The main aim of the events was to raise the awareness about Caucasian Leopard and its conservation among local population, schoolchildren and local administrative bodies.
The competition was implemented among schoolchildren and more than 37 art works were submitted from different schools of Nakchivan AR. All submitted drawing works described the beauty of the leopards, the existing threats to the leopards and also different messages were given to the public on their protection. During the award ceremony Tariel Talibov, the director of Bioresources Institute, informed participants about the ongoing activities for conservation of Caucasian Leopards in Nakhchivan and the results of the monitoring in leopard habitats. He mentioned that in the last year more than 80 photos and 15 movies of leopards and thousands of prey species photos were taken in Zangazur NP by camera traps and the photos of leopard couple were the greatest success which gives us hopes to capture leopard kids in close future. The regional conservation director of WWF Caucasus noted the high level of conservation in Nakhchivan where 4 new Pas have been established in short period and hunting is prohibited last 10 years.
At the end of the event the winners of the drawing competition were awarded with diplomas and presents.
The following event was held at the secondary school of Kotam village, which is very close to the leopard habitats. The meeting was attended by local administration, schoolchildren and school teachers. Participants were informed about the leopards, their habitats, behaviors and measures taken for conservation of leopards in the region. At the end of the meeting different propaganda materials were distributed among schoolchildren.
İn order to raise the wide awareness on leopard conservation WWF-Azerbaijan is planning to implement a number of activities during the summer period.