ECOREGIONAL CONSERVATION PLAN FOR THE CAUCASUS 2020 EDITION SUPPLEMENTARY REPORTS ECOREGIONAL CONSERVATION PLAN FOR THE CAUCASUS 2020 EDITION SUPPLEMENTARY REPORTS TBILISI 2020 The Ecoregional Conservation Plan for the Caucasus has been revised in the frame of the Transboundary Joint Secretariat-Phase III Project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW Development Bank and implemented by WWF Caucasus Programme Office with the involvement of the AHT GROUP AG - REC Caucasus Consortium. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of organizations and institutions who were involved in preparing ECP 2020 or who provided financial support or support in kind. None of the entities involved assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information disclosed in the publication. Editors: N. Zazanashvili, M. Garforth and M. Bitsadze Ecoregional Maps: G. Beruchashvili and N. Arobelidze, WWF / © WWF Suggested citation for the publication: Zazanashvili, N., Garforth, M. and Bitsadze, M., eds. (2020). Ecoregional Conservation Plan for the Caucasus, 2020 Edition: Supplementary Reports. WWF, KfW, Tbilisi. Suggested citation for each report – see at the end of the reports. ISBN 978-9941-8-2374-9 Designed by David Gabunia Printed by Fountain Georgia LTD, Tbilisi, Georgia, 2020 2020 EDITION SUPPLEMENTARY REPORTS FOREWORD AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The 2020 Edition of the Ecoregional Conservation Plan (ECP) for the Caucasus is published in two parts. The first and main part – “Ecoregional Conservation Plan for the Caucasus: 2020 Edition”– presents an overview of the Ecoregion’s biodiversity and the general threats which it faces, describes the main actors in the field of biodiversity conservation in the Caucasus, explains the role of the ECP as a regional instrument for implementing international agreements related to biodiversity, discusses the main conceptual approaches for developing this edition of ECP, and presents the plan itself with its targets and actions. This second part of the ECP presents supplementary reports that include an explanation of the rationale for the Ecoregion’s boundaries, a detailed description of the Key Biodiversity Areas and Conservation Landscapes (which form the basis of the Ecological Network envisaged by the ECP), and information about the status of the Ecoregion’s threatened species in the following groups: large carnivores, large herbivores, birds, amphibians and reptiles, freshwater fish and lampreys, and flora (vascular plants) and vegetation. The chapters also include information on physical-geographical features of the Caucasus, terrestrial ecoregions within the boundaries of the Caucasus combined ecoregion, biomes that create the basis of the main habitats, particular threats to the groups, and on-going conservation efforts and proposals for additional conservation actions. The compilers of each report represent all six countries of the Caucasus ecoregion: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Russia and Turkey. The order of the compilers’ names (after the first author who wrote the main text) usually follows the alphabetical order of the ecoregion’s countries’ names with some exceptions (when the co-authors’ order follows their input to the particular report). The editors and compilers of this publication are grateful to the governmental organizations and agencies who kindly provided data for the reports. We extend our thanks to all experts and specialists who supported the preparation of ECP 2020 and its separate parts by providing materials or personal communications. Special thanks are owed to the Government of Germany, particularly, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and KfW Development Bank for their crucial financial support for the revision and publication of ECP 2020. 3 2020 EDITION SUPPLEMENTARY REPORTS TABLE OF CONTENTS TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 6 THE BOUNDARIES AND BIO-PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE CAUCASUS ECOREGION 9 compiled by N. Zazanashvili, K. Manvelyan, E. Askerov, M. Mousavi, V. Krever, S. Kalem and M. Garforth KEY BIODIVERSITY AREAS IN THE CAUCASUS ECOREGION 21 compiled by M. Bitsadze, K. Manvelyan, E. Askerov, M. Mousavi, V. Shmunk, S. Kalem, N. Zazanashvili, R. Mnatsekanov, S. Devranoglu Tavsel, M. Cevik, K. Ahmadova, G. Beruchashvili, A. Kandaryan and M. Garforth CONSERVATION LANDSCAPES IN THE CAUCASUS ECOREGION 29 compiled by N. Zazanashvili, K. Manvelyan, E. Askerov, M. Mousavi, V. Shmunk, S. Kalem, G. Beruchashvili, M. Bitsadze and M. Garforth STATUS OF LARGE CARNIVORES IN THE CAUCASUS 37 compiled by E. Askerov, K. Manvelyan, Z. Gurielidze, M. Mousavi, V. Shmunk, S. Trepet, A.E. Kütükçü, A. Heidelberg and N. Zazanashvili STATUS OF LARGE HERBIVORES IN THE CAUCASUS 48 compiled by P. Weinberg, E. Askerov, K. Manvelyan, Z. Gurielidze, M. Mousavi, A.E. Kütükçü, A. Heidelberg and N. Zazanashvili STATUS OF BIRDS IN THE CAUCASUS 72 compiled by Z. Javakhishvili, K. Aghababyan, E. Sultanov, M. Tohidifar, R. Mnatsekanov and S. Isfendiyaroğlu AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF THE CAUCASUS 83 compiled by B.S. Tuniyev, D. Tarkhnishvili, A.L. Aghasyan, S.N. Bunyatova, K. Kamali, S.M. Mirghazanfari, C.V. Tok and K. Çiçek FRESHWATER FISH AND LAMPREYS OF THE CAUCASUS 97 compiled by J. Freyhof, S. Pipoyan N. Mustafayev, S. Ibrahimov, B. Japoshvili, O. Sedighi, B. Levin, A. Pashkov and D. Turan FLORA AND VEGETATION OF THE CAUCASUS 106 compiled by K. Batsatsashvili, A. Nersesyan, N. Mehdiyeva, R. Murtazaliev, Ö. Eminağaoğlu and K. Kavousi ANNEXES Annex 1: The IUCN Globally Threatened Species in the Caucasus Ecoregion 119 Annex 2: Key Biodiversity Areas with Associated Trigger Species 129 Annex 3: Summary of Species Parameters of Key Biodiversity Areas 153 Annex 4. Description of Conservation and Bridging Landscapes 159 Annex 5. Map of Key Biodiversity Areas, and Conservation and Bridging Landscapes 177 5 ECOREGIONAL CONSERVATION PLAN FOR THE CAUCASUS TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS Aggregation A geographically restricted clustering of individuals that typically occurs during a specific life history stage or process such as breeding, feeding or migration. This clustering is indicated by highly localised relative abundance, two or more orders magnitude larger than the species` average recorded numbers or densities at other stages during its life-cycle (IUCN, 2016). a. s. l. Above sea level Bern Convention Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats Biosphere Reserve The UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves covers internationally designated protected areas, each known as biosphere reserves. Each reserve promotes solutions reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use. BL Bridging Landscape BMZ German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development Bridging Landscape A physical-geographical entity that physically connects Conservation Landscapes. CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CEPF The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund CL Conservation Landscape CMS Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals CNF Caucasus Nature Fund Conservation A geographically defined large area, typically larger than 5000 km², identified as priority for Landscape conserving biodiversity and maintaining healthy ecological processes and environmental services. CR Critically Endangered, category of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. DD Data Deficient, according to the IUCN Red List: a taxon is Data Deficient when there is inadequate information to make a direct, or indirect, assessment of its risk of extinction based on its distribution and/or population status. ECF Eco-Corridors Fund for the Caucasus (WWF/BMZ/KfW long-term project) ECP The Ecoregional Conservation Plan for the Caucasus Ecological Corridor A clearly defined geographical space that is governed and managed over the long-term to conserve or restore effective landscape connectivity, with associated ecosystem services and cultural and spiritual values (slightly modified from a draft definition by Hilty et al., 2019). Emerald network The Emerald network is a network of Areas of Special Conservation Interest to conserve wild flora and fauna and their natural habitats of Europe, launched by Council of Europe under the Bern Convention. EN Endangered, category of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. European Diploma A prestigious international award granted since 1965 by the Committee of Ministers of the Council for Protected Areas of Europe. It recognises natural and semi-natural areas and landscapes of exceptional European importance for the preservation of biological, geological and landscape diversity, which are managed in an exemplary way. FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations GEF The Global Environment Facility Geographically Species having a restricted global distribution, as measured by range, extent of suitable habitat or Restricted Species area of occupancy, and hence largely confined or endemic to a relatively small portion of the globe such as bioregion, ecoregion or site (IUCN, 2016). Global 200 The Global 200 is the list (and the map) of ecoregions identified by WWF as priorities for conservation. Globally Species categorised in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Critically Endangered (CR), Threatened Species Endangered (EN) or Vulnerable (VU). IBA An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally