3 minute read
Camera traps installed in the Gndasar Community Conserved Area in Zangakatun village, Armenia, recorded a new leopard on October 9 and 13, WWF-Armenia reported.
This is the second leopard recorded in the area since 2025, the organization said.
The number of bezoar goats in the area has also doubled, according to WWF-Armenia.
“These results are important indicators of the effectiveness of community-based conservation, highlighting the role of local communities and people involved in nature conservation in protecting biodiversity. The leopard has been named Aghasy, after the caretaker of the Gndasar Community Conserved Area, whose camera traps captured the animal. Aghasy has been involved in conservation efforts in the area since its establishment in 2018. His long-standing work is an important example of sustained local efforts to protect nature,” WWF-Armenia said in a press release.
The organization stressed that the publication of this news during COP17 provides another opportunity to emphasize that international biodiversity conservation goals are also being achieved at the local level through the direct involvement of communities and sustained, long-term efforts.
“Positive changes recorded in community conserved areas concern not only leopards and bezoar goats. Since the establishment of this community conserved area, the number of brown bears has also doubled, providing another important indicator for assessing the results of ongoing conservation efforts. The Gndasar Community Conserved Area was established within the framework of the Eco-Corridor Fund for the Caucasus (ECF) program. The program is implemented by WWF-Armenia in cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment of the Republic of Armenia. It is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW Development Bank. The establishment and development of community conserved areas make it possible to combine the protection of natural ecosystems and wildlife with the active participation of local communities. The results recorded in Gndasar once again underscore the importance of this approach to biodiversity conservation in Armenia,” WWF-Armenia said.