Camera traps installed in Armenia’s Khosrov Forest State Reserve have captured new footage of the Caucasian leopard, one of the country’s rarest and most iconic predators, Minister of Environment Hambartsum Matevosyan announced.
In a post on Facebook, the minister shared the footage, describing the sighting as further evidence of Armenia’s rich biodiversity and the success of ongoing conservation efforts.
“The camera traps of the Khosrov Forest State Reserve have recorded one of Armenia’s most beautiful and rarest predators – the Caucasian leopard,” Matevosyan wrote.
He said the exceptional footage once again confirms that Armenia’s natural ecosystems continue to preserve unique biodiversity, while conservation measures implemented in recent years are producing tangible results.
The Caucasian leopard (Panthera pardus tulliana), also known as the Persian leopard, is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Armenia is considered one of the species’ key habitats in the South Caucasus, with the Khosrov Forest State Reserve serving as one of its most important strongholds.
Conservationists monitor the elusive big cat using camera traps and other non-invasive methods to better understand its movements, population trends and habitat use. Sightings remain rare due to the animal’s low numbers and secretive nature.
