Trend of the gazelles…
Overhunting and habitat loss have drastically reduced its numbers during the last decades, for example:
- 200,000 to < 10,000 during the mid-1930's to late-1970's in Kazakhstan
- 13,000 to 4,000 during 1989-1999 in Azerbaijan
- 8,000-10,000 to 5,000 during the 1970's and early 1980's in Uzbekistan
- 3,000 to 300 during 1968-1978 in Turkey (south-eastern Anatolia)
- 200 to 70-80 during 1986-1996 in Tajikistan
The species is now extinct in Armenia, Georgia and possibly in Kyrgyzstan.
Azerbaijan
Numbers of gazelles in Azerbaijan were estimated to be 40,000 in the mid-1920's when a sharp decline began. Up to 2,000 were killed annually by hunters during the 1930's in the Transcaucasia region. The rate of decline increased and by 1961 it was estimated that fewer than 200 remained in Azerbaijan.
Three wildlife sanctuaries were established in 1961 to conserve the remaining populations. Numbers then increased steadily, reaching 1,700 in 1973 and 4,000 in 1982. At the present time, almost all remaining gazelles in Azerbaijan occur in the Shirvan steppes, predominantly in protected areas. This park is about 100k south of Baku. Despite its location in a semi-desert zone the national park is rich in animals. There are a large number of mammals, reptiles and amphibians here. Up to 65 bird species inhabit the shores of the Flamingo Lake and the Caspian sea. 12 fish species occur in the Flamingo Lake and channels. The national is a habitat for the following species of animals: goitred gazelle, wild boar, beaver, wild cat, hare, wolf, jackal, fox, badger etc.
Of migratory and sedentary birds one can find here black francolin, great bustard, little bustard, mute swan, graylag goose, greater flamingo, red-breasted goose, falcon, gadwall, common coot, great white egret, little egret, gray heron, squacco heron. We saw jackal, wild boar and civet tracks. The area also was very rich in bird life. Christian spotted a duck that he had only seen once and he is an avid birder.
There is a new highway borderd by a new fence which keeps gazelles off the highway but unable to roam. During the month of October gazelles were reintroduced into surrounding areas. We were not sure if we would see any as they are skittish from seeing their fellow gazelles picked up during the reintroduction. We did see probably 50 throughout the 2 hrs. Really amazing to see them in their natural habitat.
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| looking for tracks |
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| Levan and Zane looking for tracks |
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| a lizard |
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| teeth |
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| hello fellow |
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| tea at the lookout |
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| gazelles with a rig in the background (outside of park) |
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| Timm, Levan and Zane in the blind |
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| wetlands |
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| frogs! |
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| fish for sale on the way back to Baku...Baki |
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| the great mosque |
