Endangered Species

Significant number of species are rare and endangered. There are many problems in the protection of species and ecosystems, such as: inherited current practice in natural resources use and management; lack of environmental awareness of the soviet time generation; overuse of bio-resources - such as poaching, illegal forest cutting, over explotation of herbs and other activities which today mainly have social and economic background.

The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan are under development. Process of establishment of new system of protected areas is slow.

The latest Red Book of Georgia is published in 1982 and is not reflecting the state of the fauna and flora. Presently Ministry of the Environment is in the process of elaboration of Red List, which is planned to be submitted to the parliament for adoption in November 2000. The new Red Book will be elaborated according the Red List in the nearest future.

Species of Flora
The flora of Georgia contains between 4 200 and 4 500 species of vascular plants. Of these, 9% are endemic to Georgia and 14% are endemic to the Caucasus. Two thousand species have economic importance. Ten species of vascular plants have become extinct; 50 are critically endangered; 300 are rare, falling under various categories of threatened species; and 140 have shown significant decline.

Species of Fauna

Invertebrates
Five hundred representatives of Macrolepidoptera have been described, nearly a third of them endemic or relict species. Seven species of the family Papilionidae live in the country, including two which are endemic, one of which is vulnerable. Sixty-five species from Georgia were included in the most recent Red Data book of the Soviet Union. In the table some data on biodiversity of invertebrates is given.

Table 1. Diversity and endemism of some invertebrates

Date Source: I. Eliava, J. Badridze

Vertebrates

Freshwater Fish: Throughout Georgia there are 84 species of freshwater . Twenty-nine species are found in the basin of the Caspian Sea, of which 11 are also found in Black Sea basins. Twelve of the native species are found only in the basin of the Mtkvari river, and 9 of these are endemic to this river and its tributaries. There are also 9 introduced fish species. Throughout the basin of the Black Sea, there are 66 species of fish, including 2 introduced species. Six are endemic to Kolkheti, including the economically important Varicorhinus spp. The conservation status of most fish species is not known. Acipenser sturio (sturgeon) and Salmo trutta labrax (salmon) were included in the Soviet Red Data book. Similar species are also likely to be under threat. The status of the endemic species of the river Mtkvari and Kolkheti needs further study.

Amphibians: Four species of Caudata and 9 species of Anura are found. One of these is endemic to Georgia and 2 to the Caucasus. The range of Pelobates syricus has declined alarmingly recently, and that of Triturus vittatus ophtyticus is also decreasing.

Reptiles: Fifty three reptile species occur throughout Georgia, including 3 tortoises, 27 lizards and 23 snakes. Of these, 3 snakes and 12 lizards are 23 snakes. Of these, 3 snakes and 12 lizards are endemic to the Caucasus. Six reptiles are included in the Georgian Red Data book. Seven reptiles having the largest part of their range in Georgia are vulnerable. The ranges of Vipera lebetina, Eumeces schneider and Eryx jaculus have been declining for the past three years.

Birds: Three hundred species of bird occur in Georgia, more than half of which are migratory and appear in the country only during the migration or during the winter. Eight species are threatend globally and are included also in the Georgian Red Data book - Pelicanus crispus, Anser erythropus, Aegypius monachus, Aquila clanga, A.Heliaca, Haliaeetus albicilla, Otis tarda, and Tetrax tetrax.

Mammals: There are 79 species of four orders of mammals: Insectivora (10), Chiroptera (29), Rodentia (39), and Lagomorpha (1). Ninteen of these species are endemic to Georgia. Fifteen of them have not had their conservation status evaluated, and for about 30 farther species there is not enough information to assign them a category. Seven species are endangered and five are vulnerable, with twenty classified as being out of danger.

There are three orders of large to medium sized mammals: 30 species of carnivores, ungulates and cetaceans (2 species of dolphin and 1 porpoise). Until the beginning of this century, the land mammals were widely distributed across the country. For example, the ranges of the Asian leopard (Panthera pardus), lynx (Felis (lynx) lynx), and wolf (Canus lupos) covered almost all of Georgia. Weasels (Mustela nivalis) were found everywhere except in the Kolkheti Lowlands ecosystem. The striped hyena was common in all arid zones of the country.

Table 2. Rare and Endangered Spices in Georgia

Source: Georgia Biodiversity Country Study Report, NACRES/UNEP,1996


The state of large mammals is studied more better : species diversity, their spatial distribution, state of some populations, status of endemism for particular representatives and rate of threat.

Table 3. Predator, hoof and sea mammals*

Data Source: I. Eliava, J. Badridze
* Monachus monachus Hermann is not listed, is questionable;
** there are data on appearance;
***there are no reliable data for consideration


References:
1. National Environmental Action Plan (draft)
2. Georgia Biodiveristy Country Report, UNEP/NACRES, 1996
3. I. Eliava, J. Badridze (not yet published)

© UNEP/GRID-Tbilisi, 2000

1, M. Alexidze St. Tbilisi, 380093, GEORGIA

Phone/Fax: (995-32) 942808

E-mail: grid@gridtb.caucasus.net

Send your comments

Last Updated: 24/02/2000