According to ancient local traditions, pigs are taboo for local people and for this reason, food made from pork is forbidden in Tusheti. Local people consider it disrespectful for visitors to bring pork to Tusheti.
According to local traditions, women are forbidden from entering local sacred shrines and sanctuaries.
Tusheti is a remote region, and as such there are no amenities such as petrol stations, pharmacies, beauty salons, banks, ATMs or currency exchanges booths.
Tusheti flora is distinguished by its diversity, here are 1062
species of plants. Forest habitat of the national park areas is mostly represented
by the Caucasian pine (Pinus kochyana). Pine forest is spread at 1700-2000
meters above sea level and its total area covers about 15000 hectares.
With evelation Pine
forest is replaced by birch trees. There are birch forests at 1700-2400 meters
above sea level, the most spread species are warty and Litvinov birch.(here are
also crooked birch trees). Crooked forests mainly include Litvinov birch.
But in some places there is also Radde’s birch. The total area of broad leaf
forests is not more than 1400 hectares. Subalpine forests totally cover 6200
hectares. The upper lower zone of the forest spreads from 1650 meters to 1900
meters. Subalpine forests are represented from 1700 meters to 2600 meters.
Species from the
“Red List” of Georgia
From Tusheti
National Park 2 woody species are included in the “Red List” – Radde’s and
black birch. 8 Herbaceous species (Allium otschiauria eTscholokaschvili,
Erysimum subnivale Prima, Ficaria varia Otschiauri, Galeopsis nana Otschiaur,
Jurinea exuberans (Trautv.) Otschiauri, Rosa irysthonica Manden,
Tragopogon otschiaurii Kuthatheladze) are assessed as nationally vulnerable
categories.
Endemic species
The Park is
distinguished by endemic plant species.
230 species of Tusheti
National Park flora are the Caucasian endemic (more than 20% of the total
number of the Caucasian endemic), and 11 species are Georgian endemic. Form
Georgian and local endemic species there are: Tushetian aconite, lily,
Tushetian weet brier, Tebulo buttercup and Tushetian skullcaps. And from the
Caucasian endemic: Radde’s birch, rhododendron, Sosnovski pine, Litvinov birch,
fritillaries, primrose and squill.
In Tusheti National Park fauna is represented in about 180
species. With unverified data in Tusheti there are: 60 species of mammals,
about 120 – birds, 3-reptiles, 6-amphibian and one species of fish.
Weathered sloped of
the Caucasus and inaccessible cliffs are the homeland of East Caucasian tur
chamois and wild goat. The neighbor of Caucasian tur is Caucasian endemic – the
Caucasian Snowcock, and in rhododendron shrubs and birch groves lives the Caucasian
black grouse.
From large ungulates
in Tusheti forests it is possible to meet roe and rarely deer. A boar regularly
comes from the neighboring Dagestan.
Tusheti is rich in
predators – fox and wolf is met everywhere. Almost in the entire territory there
are: brown bear, lynx, hare, chamois and tur.
Tusheti is a diverse
region in terms of ornithology. There are many birds of different size and
different lifestyle. Tusheti inaccessible cliffs are the nesting place for huge
birds- vultures, Bearded vultures and Golden eagles. In the National Park there
are also a great number of: crossbill, several kinds of woodpeckers, red head
finch, mountain Pipit and wallcreeper, partridge, mountain kestrel, buzzard and
the fastest bird on the planet – falcon.
Tusheti rivers are rich in trout.
There are three species of reptiles in Tusheti:
Coronella austriaca, Vipera ursine, Laerta sp. And others, also there is one
species of the green toad.
Species fom the “Red List” of Gerorgia
18 species (10 birds, 7 mammals and 1 fish) of Tusheti National Park fauna are
included in the “Red List”. From mammals there are: European barbastelle,
otter, brown bear, wild goat, tur, deer, aucasian grouse and Caucasian Snowcok.
From rare species of birds are common: Imperial eagle, greater spotted eagle,
lesser kestrel, corncrake, steppe eagle, black kite, vulture, field Montagu’s
Harrier. There is only one species of fish on this territory – trout.
Endemic species
From endemic mammals
in Tusheti can be found: Sorex raddei, Sorex volnuchini, Myotis
daubentonii Chionomys gud, Chionomys roberti, Terricola majori, Terricola
daghestanicus and others.
From endemic birds Caucasian grouse and Caucasian Snowcock are notable.
Attraction Passes
You are able to practice payable eco-tourist services at the National Parks of Georgia.
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