Shikahogh State Reserve

The Shikahogh State Reserve is located in Syunik Province, on the southeastern slopes of Mount Khustup and the northeastern slopes of the Meghri mountain range, within the upper basins of the Tsav and Shikahogh rivers. The reserve lies at elevations ranging from 700 to 2,800 meters above sea level. Established in 1958, it spans approximately 10,330 hectares. It was created to preserve the natural environment—specifically oak, beech, hornbeam, elm, and plane tree forests—as well as wild animal habitats. The terrain is complex and fragmented, featuring numerous mountain streams and mineral springs. Botanically, the reserve is remarkably rich, hosting about 1,100 species of plants, grouped into 432 genera and 92 families. Seventy of these species are listed in the Red Book of Armenia. Roughly 94% of the reserve is forested, with Eastern and Common beech, Georgian and Large-fruited oak, wild elm, Eastern hornbeam, and the Oriental plane tree, which is the only natural grove of its kind in the Caucasus. The reserve also hosts wild fruit trees, such as pear, Eastern apple, elm, wild walnut, linden, hackberry, maple, ash, and cherry. There are also 18 rare moss species identified here, the most notable being Fabronia pusilla. The fauna includes a variety of reptiles such as the Levant viper (Gyurza), water and common snakes, slow worms, and the Armenian steppe viper. Among the birds are wild turkey, golden eagle, white-headed vulture, and black vulture. Mammals include the brown bear, lynx, wild boar, roe deer, wolf, fox, hare, long-eared hedgehog, and occasionally the bezoar goat, mouflon (wild sheep), and even the Persian leopard. Many of these animals are listed in the Red Book of Armenia.