Armenia advances biodiversity restoration

As the host of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and subsequently the country presiding over processes under the convention, Armenia has made biodiversity restoration a practical agenda, moving from words to measurable results, Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan said on social media.

“Today, we are implementing diverse programs and initiatives aimed at restoring natural habitats, protecting species, and revitalizing ecosystems,” he said.

“For example, to restore the stocks of Sevan trout, work on releasing juvenile trout has continued with funding from the state budget. In 2025, approximately 836,000 juvenile trout of the Summer and Gegharkuni subspecies were released into Lake Sevan, exceeding the planned 500,000 and up from 390,000 the previous year.

To restore the natural populations of Sevan crayfish, broodstock have been collected, from which around 200,000 juvenile crayfish are planned for release into the lake in 2027. This is an unprecedented process.

Specifically, 2,500 broodstock of Sevan crayfish were collected, and artificial reproduction was conducted, yielding around 80,000 juvenile crayfish. Of these, 50,000 will be released into the upper reaches of the Dzoraget River. These efforts provide a foundation for restoring valuable fish and crustacean stocks in river ecosystems.

We are also continuing efforts to reintroduce the noble deer, previously considered extinct in the wild in Armenia. In 2025, nine individuals were released, and the first fawn born in the wild has already been recorded, demonstrating that restoration efforts are producing results. Currently, 18 individuals live in free conditions.

“In the near future, we plan to expand programs for restoring natural ecosystems and biodiversity,” the minister wrote in a Facebook post.