Yerevan Zoo is a research-educidative enterprise with
wild animals living and being exhibited in cages and fenced open areas. The
Yerevan zoo was founded in 1940.Fauna and Flora
Functioning of the Zoo
Yerevan Zoo is a research-educidative enterprise with
wild animals living and being exhibited in cages and fenced open areas. The
Yerevan zoo was founded in 1940.
In the only state-controlled zoo functioning in the Republic of Armenia, as of January 1, 2000, there were registered 173 animal and bird species, which is by 16,4% less than in the previous year. However, the population of animals and birds increased in number, making 2337 against 2150 of the previous year.
The total area of the zoo is 8,5 hectares, 5,2 hectares of which is under the facilities intended for the animals, which make 61,2% of the total. The per capita area is 22,3m2 against previous year?s 24,2m2. The number of animals and birds per hectare of the zoo area is 275 against 253 in the previous year.
One hundred and four animals and birds living in the zoo (1998) and representing 32 species are entered in the International ?Red Book?. And 62 animals and birds (1998) representing 24 species are entered in the ?Red Book of Armenia?. The majority of animals living in the zoo and having been entered in both International ?Red Book? and ?Red Book of Armenia? are mammals ? 51,9% and 75,8%, respectively. Twenty one animals and birds representing 10 species are on the brink of extinction. .
In the zoo are shown animals that are representative of the fauna of Armenia, such as Armenian moufflon, Besoarian goat, wild boar, mountain partridge, various reptiles, fish, etc.
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden is a research, educational and cultural establishment dealing with the cultivation and study of plants, also popularization of botanical accomplishments. The assets of the botanical gardens are the living plants growing in the open air as well as in green houses, which are used in both exhibition and research purposes. The Botanical Garden of Yerevan was founded in 1935. There are growing more than 1200 species of trees and shrubs and about 2000 kinds and sorts of greenhouse plants, also more than 1000 representatives of Armenia?s flora. About 1000 species of tropical and sub-tropical plants are protected under greenhouse conditions.
Forest Fund
"Forest Fund" is part of the territory including forested land as well as unforested areas allotted to meet forestry needs. The Forest Fund includes actual forested areas (virtually covered by certain species of trees and underbrush and tracts of land that are bare of forests, such as agricultural lands (arable land, haylands, grazing lands, etc.), special- purpose stretches of land (roads, canals, personal plots, etc.), also marshes, sandy soils, gullies, mountain slopes, etc. The total area of the Forest Fund of Yerevan is 1300 ha, the forested area making 85.4% of the total.
"Erebouni" State Reserve
"Erebouni" State Reserve. Was founded in 1981. It is located on the weathered slopes of Near-Araxian folded mountain ranges within the boundaries of Kotayk and Ararat administrative districts, and in the neighborhood of Yerevan. The reserve occupies an area of 89 hectares. There are registered 290 plant species in Erebuni State Reserve, 48 of which (16,5%) are rare. No account of wild animal species has been taken.
In 1990, there were 1,930 hectares of general-purpose green areas covered by trees in Yerevan. The total area of the city was 17,000 hectares. About 640 hectares of woods were cut for fire wood during the 1990-1995 crisis in Yerevan. Currently, Yerevan occupies an area of 22,674 hectares, 1,290 ha of which is covered by green. The minimum admitted green area per thousand inhabitants of Yerevan should be 25 hectares.
