The Caucasus is one of the most biologically rich regions on Earth. Home to an unusually high number of endemic plant and animal species, it ranks as one of  the world’s biodiversity “hotspots” according to both Conservation International and WWF.

Formed by the isthmus between the Black and Caspian Seas, the Caucasus ecoregion is a biological crossroads, where plant and animal species from Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa mingle with endemic species found nowhere else on earth. About the size of France, the hotspot spans 500,000 square kilometers including Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as small portions of Russia, Iran and Turkey. Amazingly, this relatively small area holds a number of different landscapes from semi-desert to high altitude tundra, from alpine meadow to deep forest.

Towering over Europe’s eastern rim, the spectacular Caucasus Mountains lie at the heart of one of the richest and most diverse wilderness areas on Earth. Recognized as one of only 36 biodiversity hotspots worldwide, the Caucasus ecoregion boasts over 1,650 indigenous plants and animals and tremendously varied landscapes from semi-desert to high tundra to lush forests.

The biodiversity of the Caucasus is being lost at an alarming rate. Nearly half the lands in the ecoregion have been transformed by human activities. The plains, foothills and subalpine belts have suffered the heaviest impact. Most natural old growth forests have been fragmented into small sections, divided by areas of commercial forest, agricultural and developed lands. Only a quarter of the overall Caucasus region remains in reasonable condition and less than 12 percent of the original vegetation, including forests, can be considered pristine.

The major threats to biodiversity in the ecoregion are: illegal logging, fuel wood harvesting and the timber trade; overgrazing; poaching and the illegal wildlife trade; overfishing; infrastructure development; mining and pollution of rivers and wetlands. These threats lead to habitat degradation, decline of species population and disruption of ecological processes—all contributing to the overall loss of biodiversity.

Well managed protected areas are key to stopping biodiversity loss in the ecoregion. Learn more about the importance of protected areas in the Caucasus and the world →

The Ecoregion Conservation Plan for the Caucasus (ECP) is a comprehensive strategy and action plan for conserving the biodiversity of the Caucasus ecoregion. Below is a list of Priority Species that have been identified by the ECP.