Posted on May, 25 2014

May 22 is the International Day for Biodiversity. In this regard, Mr. Karen Manvelyan, the Director of WWF-Armenia, participated at a press conference organized by Ecolur NGO, Armenian environmental media, on May 21. Mr. Manvelyan presented current state of specially protected nature areas (PAs) and biodiversity in Armenia. Pertaining to the specially protected areas, he stated that five PAs (Lake Arpi and Arevik National Parks, Zangezur and Khustup State Sanctuaries as well as Gnishik Protected Landscape) had been established with the support of WWF projects making up 3.2 % of the total area in Armenia. He mentioned that all those results were achieved through the support of different donors including CEPF, UNDP, GEF, Norwegian Government, German Government, KfW bank, CNF, WWF-Germany, WWF-Switzerland and WWF-Norway.

During the press conference Mr. Manvelyan also touched upon the leopard conservation project. “Within the scope of the project from September 2013 to April 2014 WWF camera traps took 14 photos of the Caucasian leopards in the South of Armenia. The analyses of the photos show that at least one male and two females live in the area for about a year, which gives hope that the females will be able to deliver cubs in second half of 2014”, stated Mr. Manvelyan and presented the camera trap photos of leopard to media.

The next day, on May 22, WWF-Armenia together with the Ministry of Nature Protection and the State Museum of Nature of Armenia organized an event within the frames of Biodiversity Day held in the building of the State Museum of Nature. The event started with welcoming speeches of the organizers followed by screening of a film about a bear release to nature (WWF funded project). The event also involved an exhibition of 70 animals’ images taken by WWF-Armenia in the protected areas of Armenia during 2013 and the first quarter of 2014, the majority of which are included in the Red Book of Armenia. Representatives from state and international organizations, NGOs, corporate sector and mass media participated at the event. Since the entrance was free the general public also joined. Throughout the day students from schools and universities of Yerevan attended the museum to see the exhibition. The photo exhibition will continue until June 03, 2014.

For further information:

Gera Voskanyan
Partnership and Communications Manager
Tel: +374 10 58 89 83 (ext. 14)
Email: gvoskanyan@wwfcaucasus.org