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WILDLIFE

Our home is their home too. The mountainous country of Armenia is home to diverse animal life. Many of these animals, however, are considered rare and endangered and are already on the brink of extinction.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

All life forms, from large predatory mammals to microscopic organisms, contribute to the ecosystem in their own unique ways, but sadly many species today are endangered, as their natural habitats are being destroyed by humans for land development and farming.

Our biodiversity is the foundation of the sustainability of life on the planet as a whole, including our own as humans. While we might focus more on specific animals like the Leopard, the Armenian mouflon, the Brown Bear, the Eurasian lynx and the Bezoar Goat, our work in the area benefits the entire ecosystem and landscape.

WWF also works with local communities which live near major wildlife areas, enabling them to find alternative sources of income, in ways that benefit not only them but also the wildlife around them.

OUR PLANET'S WILDLIFE IS IN CRISIS

The millions of different species on our planet are essential for so many of the most important things in our lives.

This complex web of life provides the natural systems we depend on – from clean air and water to fertile soils and a stable climate. It gives us food, medicines, and materials, and supports millions of jobs. And it also inspires us, making our lives richer in so many ways.

But our planet’s wildlife is in crisis – numbers have fallen by more than half since 1970, and species are becoming extinct at an alarming rate, and Armenia is no exception.

WE MUST ACT NOW to reverse this loss of nature and create a future where wildlife and people thrive again.

© Aleksandr Malkhasyan / WWF Armenia

There are more than 1000 Bezoar Goats and 100 Armenian Mouflons living in Armenia.

There are no more than 10 Leopards documented in Armenia.

WILDLIFE CRISIS IN NUMBERS

1970

Each report looks at the size of over 16,000 populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians, showing wildlife population trends from 1970 onwards.

1980

Within one decade, wildlife populations had declined by around 15%.

1990

Wildlife populations had declined by almost 40%.

2000

The decline in wildlife populations was 50% by the millennium.

2014

Wildlife populations declined by 60% on average from 1970 until 2014.

2020

The average change in population sizes of more than 5,000 vertebrate species, shows a decline of 73% between 1970 and 2020.

WE CAN TURN THINGS AROUND

Thanks to the dedicated conservation efforts, for the first time in decades, Armenia’s wildlife is showing signs of recovery.

When the Leopard conservation project began, it was believed that not a single Leopard remained in the country. However, thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, by 2025, up to 10 Leopards have been confirmed in Armenia, with a historic milestone achieved in 2024—the birth of a Leopard in Armenia for the first time ever, signaling a promising future for the species.

Progress has also been made in restoring the Red Deer population. At the start of the reintroduction project, Red Deer had completely disappeared from Armenia’s wild. Today, 13 individuals have been successfully released into nature, while over 40 continue to inhabit the breeding center.

Within the framework of the ECF project, the number of Bezoar Goats in the Arpa Protected Area has increased by 47% since 2019, rising from 504 to 739 individuals. Other protected areas have also reported growth in Bezoar Goat populations, highlighting the impact of conservation measures across the country.

"The efforts of WWF and others have already helped achieve some big successes for wildlife."

- Margaret Kinnaird
Global Wildlife Practice Leader