CBD Fourth National Report - Azerbaijan (English version)

Country Study on Biodiversity and Fourth National Report
The Republic of Azerbaijan
schelkovnikovi), and the Caucasian snow vole (Chionomys gud). In addition, the Dagestan
vole (Terricola dagestanicus) and Robert's snow vole (Chionomys roberti) are endemic to
the Caucasian Range and the Lesser Caucasus, although the former has also been found in
Asia Minor. The Dagestan tur (Capra cylindricornis) lives only in the Greater Caucasus.
It is also thought that the Caucasian forest mouse (Sylvaemus ponticus) is the endemic of
the Caucasus. The Caspian seal (Phoca caspica) is endemic to the Caspian Sea.
(See: Appendix 3)
Conservation status
Forty species of invertebrates are listed in the Red Book of Azerbaijan as being threatened
with extinction. These are all insects (from the orders Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, and
Hymenoptera). In many cases, the insects under threat are large and attractive, and have been
over collected. There are however, more species that are considered threatened by specialists,
but are not included on this list. For example, there are 15 species of invertebrates that are
found in Azerbaijan, that were included on the Red List of the former USSR 23 , but are not on
the Azeri Red List.
Among vertebrates, five species of fish are considered endangered in Azerbaijan due to
anthropogenic activities. The species of sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris) was included in the
Red book of Azerbaijan in 1995, however six species of sturgeon found in Azerbaijan are on
the IUCN red list of endangered species, and the status of sturgeons remains an issue of
ongoing concern. These species are fished in Azerbaijan according to the rules of CITES 24 .
A species of herring (Clupeonella cultriventris) is also on the IUCN red list. There are a
further seven species of fish that are recommended for inclusion in the Azeri red book 25 .
Five of the ten species of amphibians found in Azerbaijan are listed in the Red Data Book of
Azerbaijan (see Appendix 3). A number of these species (Tritirus vulgaris vulgaris, T.
cristatus, Bufo bufo, Pelobates syriacus, and Pelodytes caucasicus) have all been successfully
bred in ex-situ conditions. Nine species of reptiles are listed in the Red Data Book of
Azerbaijan (see Appendix 3). Of the bird species found in Azerbaijan, 21 are either
considered globally or nationally threatened. These include the Critically Endangered longbilled
curlew (Numenius tenuirostris), and the Endangered white-headed duck (Oxyura
leucocphala). Six other species are classified as Vulnerable 26 , the other 13 are listed as
Lower Risk or Data Deficient. A number of bird species are also considered to be of
European importance.
Around 33% of the mammals in Azerbaijan are included on either the Azerbaijan Red Data
Book or as globally threatened in the IUCN Red List. In the Azeri Red Data Book, five
species are listed as extinct, nine have limited distribution. Another ten species are
23 Insects: Coenagrion mercuriale, Cordulegaster insignis, Epallage fatime, Bolivaria brachyptera, Haploembia
solieri, Bradyporus multituberculatus, Saga pedo, Porphyrophora hamelii, Homoptera, Olivierina extensa,
Xylocopa valga, Scolia maculata, Satanas gigas. Molluscs Pantastacus pylzovi, Eisenia muganiensis.
24 CITES – The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora..
25 European Chub (Leuciscus cephalus orientalis), Transcaucasian barb (Varicorhinus capoeta), Caspian
barbel (Barbus brachycephalus caspius), Bulatmai barbel (Barbus capito capito), Mursa Barbus mursa),
Danube bleak (Chalcalburnus calcoides longissimus), Blackbrow bleak (Acanthalburnus microlepis).
26 Lesser white fronted goose (Anser erythropus), imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca), red-breasted goose
(Branta ruficollis), corn crake (Crex crex), lesser kestrel (falco naumanni), marbled duck (Marmaronetta
angustirostris)
38
2009