Shahdag National Park


Shahdag National Park — is a national park of Azerbaijan. It was established by the decree of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, on an area of in the Quba Rayon, Qusar Rayon, İsmayıllı Rayon, Qəbələ Rayon, Oğuz Rayon and Şamaxı Rayon administrative districts on December 8, 2006. It was enlarged by presidential decree on July 8, 2010 from to.
It is located in northern Azerbaijan, close to the border with Russia at the Greater Caucasus Mountains.
Mount Bazardüzü, the highest mountain of Azerbaijan is located in Shadag National Park.
The Shahdag National Park is the largest national park not only Azerbaijan but in the whole Caucasus.
The World Bank has allocated a $17 million loan and $8 million grant for the national park's creation, while the government of Japan has provided $8 million as a grant for the project implementation. The Shahdag National Park will help address ecological issues and build a tourist infrastructure in the Caucasus for visitors.

Flora and fauna

Flora

The major types of trees are Caucasian Oak, Caucasian Ash, European Hornbeam, Oriental Hornbeam, Oriental Beech, Silver Birch, White Birch, Common Yew, White Willow, Common Walnut, Wild Cherry, Caucasian Pear, etc.
Shrub species occurring in the area include Various-Leaved Hawthorn, Dog Rose, Blackberry, Common Medlar, European Barberry, etc.

Fauna

The national park is home to the rare East Caucasian tur, a mountain dwelling goat antelope found only in the eastern half of the Caucasus Mountains. Other large mammals found here are the Caucasian chamois, Bezoar ibex, domestic goat, Caucasian lynx, Syrian brown bear, wild boar, Indian wolf, common jackal, common jungle cat, red fox, roe deer, badger, and otter, etc.