Persian Leopard Reserve

Puro’s support will help secure the long-term protection and conservation management of approximately 3,000 ha (7,413 acres) of high-biodiversity land near Hors village in southern Armenia. The project will expand the Caucasus Wildlife Refuge (CWR), the first privately protected area in the South Caucasus, through a long-term lease arrangement that will safeguard a critical wildlife corridor linking existing protected areas and restoration sites.

Acres Saved

“To provide sustainable financing for the reserve’s long-term management, the project will establish a 150 kW solar installation, generating income to support lease costs, ranger patrols, biodiversity monitoring and habitat management. This innovative approach will create a self-financing conservation model capable of supporting the Hors landscape for decades while reducing reliance on annual donor funding and strengthening ecological connectivity across the wider Vayots Dzor landscape.”

NGO:
Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC)

Reserve:
Hors Landscape, Caucasus Wildlife Refuge

We have saved:
7413 acres (3000 hectares)

Total reserve size:
Approximately 81,545 acres or 33,000 hectares.

Biodiversity:
The Hors landscape forms part of the South-Eastern Lesser Caucasus Biodiversity Hotspot and contains a mosaic of mountain steppe, semi-arid woodland, cliffs, gorges, highland meadows, riparian habitats and wild fruit forests. These habitats support a wide range of threatened species, including Persian Leopard (Panthera pardus tulliana), Syrian Brown Bear (Ursus arctos syriacus), Armenian Mouflon (Ovis gmelina gmelini), Bezoar Goat (Capra aegagrus aegagrus), Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) and Eurasian Lynx. The area also lies within the foraging range of all four vulture species found in Armenia: Bearded, Griffon, Egyptian and Cinereous Vultures.

The landscape is particularly notable for its wild fruit forests and endemic wild pear species, including Tamamshyan’s pear and the Red Pear, which represent valuable genetic resources for Armenia’s flora. These forests provide important climate-resilient refugia, helping species persist in increasingly arid conditions

Habitat type:
Mountain steppe and semi-arid woodland ecosystem comprising cliffs, gorges, highland meadows, wild fruit forests and riparian habitats

Elevation:
Ranges from 1500-2500 meters a.s.l.

Location:
Located near Hors village in Armenia’s Vayots Dzor region, the project area lies within the South-Eastern Lesser Caucasus Biodiversity Hotspot. Once secured, the Hors landscape will be incorporated into the approximately 30,000 ha Caucasus Wildlife Refuge, the first privately protected area in the South Caucasus, strengthening connectivity between existing protected and restored habitats.