The World of Animals (fauna)

The spreading of fauna in Azerbaijan is influenced by relief conditions and change of vegetation according to it, location of water reservoirs. Here more than thousand species of animal inhabit. From them 618 are vertebrate animal species, including 97 species of mammals. From the country’s recorded 58 species of animals are reptiles (5 species of poisonous snake), 11 species are amphibians, 357 species are birds, and the rest consists of invertebrate animals. Over 12 thousand species of insects were spread.

In the Kura-Araz lowland and areas up to 500-600 m of height (semi-desert and dry plains) rabbits, foxes, jackals, wolves, swift lizard, red tale sand mouse, Asia Minor sand mouse, the Arab hare, land turtle, adder, grass-snake, field mouse, etc. from arid animals can be found. In reedy areas and coastal zones wild boar, rushy place cats, jackals, water vole, water snake, marsh beaver, from birds heron, sultan hen, partridge, flamingo, partridge, duck, coot inhabit.

In rivers of republic bream, snake fish, chub and etc kinds of fish are available.

In tugay forests the fauna consists of wild boar, rabbit, fox, jackal, badger, hedgehog, snake, lizard. These areas inhabited by owl, woodpecker, swan, thrush, etc. birds. In other plain areas and foothill forests of the country bears, roe deer, lynx, squirrel, deer, wild cat, raccoon, magpie, oriole, woodpecker inhabit, too.

Forests are rich areas with fauna. There are deer, brown bear, mountain goats, chamois, leopard, squirrel, lynx, forest cat, kopkar, badger, squirrel, arrow hedgehog, wild boar. In forests woodpecker in the forests, willow grouse, partridge, black stork, eagle, nightingale, the Caucasus tetra, Trans-Caucasus pheasant, etc can be found.

High mountain meadows and rocks are area of inhabitance of rabbit, fox, mountain goat, leopard, snow mouse, chamois, wolf, jackal, the snowcock, Caucasian snowcock, griffon-vulture. In these areas, birds like pigeon, partridge, quail, blue titmouse, from reptiles adder, pangolin, dry fog can be found. In Caspian Sea coastal regions, on islands and in fresh water lakes migrating and permanent birds are found.

Hunted animals, which fur and meat are used and fishes included in fauna of republic. The animal species living on hunting farms, frown for industrial and medical purposes (treatment leeches) can be related to animal resources. According to the economic importance the fish resources caught in the Caspian Sea, the river Kur, Araz River, water reservoirs, fisheries differ in particular.

Birds dwelled in water basins, wild boar, mountain goats living in the mountains, deer, roe deer, partridges are hunted. In Absheron peninsula adder is maintained in order to get medicine (snake-venom).

There are 20 hunting farms in the country. Areas for hunting of animals cover 5.2 million hectares. From hunting farms 18 are public organizations and 2 of state farms.