Biodiversity

In Vashlovani National Park, due to various natural impacts, the diverse arid landscape was formed on a small territory. These are: desert, semidesert, steppe, arid sparse forests and deciduous forest zones.

Besides above listed zones there are - floodplain forests, cliff xerophytes, foothill paliurus forests and loam plants.

Besides 600 species of plants described in the protected area 28 are Caucasian and 5 Georgian endemic.

Flora

There are about 700 species of plants in Vashlovani, among them there are: diversity of orchids ( 7 species), Georgian iris (Iris iberica), Eichler tulips (Tulipa eichler), Maiko Peony (Paeonia maiko), wild grape (Vitis sylvestris) and other rare plants.

There is Alazani unique floodplain forest and two small bays (Juma and Mijna)  in Vashlovani National Park. These bays are the only place where next to the floodplain oaks (Quercus pedunculata), asps (Populus nigra, P. canescens), ash-trees (Fraxinus excelsior) and wild pomegranate (Punica granatum) wildly grow walnut trees (Juglans regia).

There are important species of fruit tree and  vine ancestors: Wild vine (Vitis silvestris G. Gmel.), Quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.), pomegranate (Punica granatum), drum bread (Tritium ferrigineum), cherry (Cerarus silvestris), wild apple (Malus orientalis and others.

Endemic plants

From remarkablendemic plants in Vashlovani National Park are: Eichlertulip  (Tulipa eichleri Regel), Georgian iris (Iris iberica Hoffm.), Georgian barberry (Berberis iberica) and Georgian wild pear (Pyrus georgica Kuthath). From endemic species of Georgia in the National park can be found: regional bell flower (Campanula kachetica), regional sainfon  (Onobrychis kacheticaBoiss. et Buhse), steppe peony (Paeonia tenuifolia L.), Sakhokia wild pear (Pyrus sachokianaKuth.) and others.

Plants of  “Red List” of Georgia

13 species of woody plants form the “Red List” of Georgia are represented in Vashlovani National Park: Georgian maple (Acer ibericum M. Bieb. Ex Willd.), Euphrates Poplar (Populus euphratica Oliv.), Walnut (Juglans regia L. ), Pedunculate oak  (Quercus pedunculiflora C.Koch), Wild pistachio (Pistacia mutica Fisch & Mey ),Sakhikia wild pear (Pyrus sachokiana Kutath.), Demetrii wild pear (Pyrus demetrii),Black juniper (Juniperus foetidissima Willd.), Fruitful juniper (Juniperus policarpos), Gorgian oak (Querceta iberica) and others.

Fauna

There is a diverse fauna in Vashlovani National Park area, 62 species of mammals, 135 – birds, 30 – reptiles, 20 – fish and 4 amphibian species are spread here.

There are manu jackals, foxes, rabbits, wolves, lynx, jungle cats, boars, porcupines and even bears.

In terms of ornithology Vashlovani National Park is very rich. Here can be found thousand teams of starlings and rose-colored pastors. There are many other small birds: sparrows, wheatears, Red-goldfinches and finches. In winter you can see little bustards and more rarely Great bustards. From birds of prey in Vashlovani there are Imperial eagles, black vultures, gyps, Marsh harriers and buzzards. There are many partridges. Rarely, but still there can be found a francolin. And in Alazani groves, there are many pheasants.

In Vashlovani steep clay precipices the colonies of swallow nest, which is called “ Town of swallows”. There are many water birds – herons, cormorants, teals, wild ducks, red ducks, ospreys, white-tailed eagles. 

In Vashlovani fauna reptiles also play an important role. 25 species of reptiles are recorded here.

In Vashlovani territory 700 species of insects are recorded, most of them are butterflies – 109 species.

There are about 16 species of fish in Alazani. There are still many catfish, carp, sander, shemaya, river goby, barbell and Caucasian chub.

Vashlovani National Park is particularly interesting in fossilized fauna. It is possible to see prehistoric fauna in Bear Canyon. In deposited layers of exposed rocks it is easy to observe well preserved chitines of sea mollusks. These mollusks are the oldest habitats of Vashlovani - to the time when this place was covered by the sea.

In the same Bear Canyon you can meet a relatively “young” prehistoric animal – a fossilized scapula of the southern elephant is protruding from the clay hill.

Animals form the “Red List” of Georgia

35 species from  the “Red List” of Georgia inhabit in Vashlovani Protected area, among them 4 species of reptiles, 20 species of birds and 10 species of mammals. From mammals the most notable are: Brown bear  (Ursus arctos), gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa subgutturosa) and others. It should be noted, that about 6 years ago a photo of ounce (Panthera pardustuliana) was taken by Photo Trap in the protected area, which means that extinct species in Georgia often moved form neighboring Azerbaijan, but in recent years it has not appeared. From reptiles there are: pond (Emys orbicularis) and Mediterranean turtle (Testudo graeca). From birds – Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetus fulva), peregrine (Falco peregrinus), vulture (Aegypius monachus), little bustard (Tetrax tetrax Linnaeus, 1758) and others.

Endemic animals

From the Caucasian endemic animals the widespread species are: Radde’s shrew (Sorex raddei), gree toad (Bufo viridis),common toad (Bufo bufo), common tree frog (Hyla arborea), wood frog (Rana ridibunda), gobi (Barbus mursa) and others. In the Caucasian region  snake-eyed skink (Ablephorus pannonicus)  can be found only in Vashlovani National Park. There also can be found Iran-Anatolian endemic – Transcaucasian hamster (Mesocricetus brandti). From fish the endemic species is gobi (Barbus mursa).