Vashlovani National Park ( ka, ვაშლოვანის ეროვნული პარკი) is a
national park located in the eastern part of
Georgia, and was established in 1935 to preserve its unique shallow forests. In April 2003 the reserve's area was expanded to and Vashlovani National Park () was made.
[Vashlovani in Georgia](_blank)
''Protected Planet''
The area is characterized by its dry climate sitting only
above sea level.
Vashlovani State Reserve is notable for its unique,
badland-like areas of desert and semi-desert steppe vegetation and arid and deciduous forests. It is also home to the great canyon cliffs, known in the area as the "Sharp Walls", and the magnificent
Alazani flood plains and forests.
Flora and fauna
Special features include the occurrence of wild
pistachio trees,
peonies and various types of
orchid
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Eart ...
s in addition to some endemic plant species. The fauna includes 25 species of reptiles, including species such as
Macrovipera lebetina and
Eryx jaculus. Among more than 100 native bird species are the
imperial eagle,
black vulture,
pheasant and the rare
black stork. The 46 mammal species include
golden jackals,
red foxes,
wolves,
Eurasian lynxes,
brown bears,
jungle cats and
porcupines.
In 2003, for the first time the track of a
Caucasian leopard was discovered; the following year, a leopard in the national park area was recorded for the first time with a camera trap.
Lone leopard spotted in Georgia
BBC 25 May 2004
See also
* Vashlovani Strict Nature Reserve
References
National parks of Georgia (country)
Protected areas established in 1935
Geography of Kakheti
Tourist attractions in Kakheti
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