At present about 60-70% of species composition of the flora and fauna of Armenia is protected in the SPNAs, including the majority of rare, endangered and endemic species and species under threat of extinction, as well as genetic resources of wild species.

 

The system of specially protected first nature areas of Armenia was created in 1958 with establishment of Khosrov, Dilijan and Shikahogh State. Shikahogh Reserve, Khosrov Forest, Erebuni Reserve, Lake Sevan, Dilijan, and 24 other sites are part of Armenia’s specially protected areas, but only Shikahogh, Khosrov, and Erebuni are protected as reserves.

 

Armenia’s natural areas provide a habitat for more than 1,000 varieties of plants and hundreds of vertebrate species, including brown bear, bezoar goat, mouflon, wild boar, leopard, and lynx, and many of which are included in the Red Book of Endangered Species. Some of these are endangered by commercial hunting, with companies such as Safari International operating in Armenia.