Ritsa Strict Nature Reserve

Ritsa Strict Nature Reserve is a protected area in the Gudauta District of Abkhazia.[2][1] The Reserve's main goal is protecting Lake Ritsa and the flora and fauna in the surrounding mountainous region.[3]

Ritsa Strict Nature Reserve
IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve)[1]
Lake Ritsa.
Location Abkhazia[2]
Coordinates43°29′24″N 40°37′04″E
Area311.0 km2 (120.1 sq mi)[1]
Established1930
Governing bodyAgency of Protected Areas[2]
WebsiteStrict Nature Reserve Info

History

In 20th century de facto control over this area frequently changed. In 1930 the Russian Federation established Ritsinsky Reserve. When Georgia reestablished its independence in 1991 the territory of the reserve was enlarged and the modern Ritsa Strict Nature Reserve established. With the outbreak of Abkhaz–Georgian conflict and subsequent war, de facto control is presently exercised by the Government of Abkhazia, which established the Ritsinsky Relic National Park here in 1996 .[4][5]

Geography
Lake Smaller Ritsa.

Ritsa Strict Nature Reserve is located in the mountainous part of Abkhazia on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus range, covering territory from the Gegi River gorge to the Pshchitsa River gorge. The strong differentiation of the relief from 100 m to 3,256 thousand meters above sea level (Mount Agepsta) creates a rich spectrum of ecological conditions for the growth of many plants and animal habitats [1] The largest, beautiful and famous is Lake Ritsa. Other lakes - Smaller Ritsa, Blue Lake - no less picturesque and beautiful. There are also several waterfalls here, the most famous among them is the Gegsky waterfall, with height at about 55 meters.

Flora

The protected area of Euxine-Colchic deciduous forests has many evergreen boxwood (Buxus colchica) groves as well as specimens of the Nordmann Fir (Abies nordmanniana), which reach heights of over 70 meters (over 230 ft.), and specimens of European yew (Taxus baccata) [6] There are variety of rare endemic specimens, such as Lilium kesselringianum,[4] Primula farinosa [7] and others, such as widespread in reserve bellflower (Campanula).

Fauna

Mammals are represented by Caucasian Red Deer (Cervus elaphus maral), West Caucasian tur (Capra caucasica), Rupicapra, Capreolus, wild boar, Caucasian wildcat (Felis silvestris caucasica), stone marten and European rabbit.

Very rich is local world of birds - more than 273 species, 71 of which are rare. About 100 species of birds nest here and others passes through the park via the East Black Sea Flyway. Here one can see the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus), common blackbird (Turdus merula), great tit (Parus major), Caucasian snowcock (Tetraogallus caucasicus), Caucasian grouse (Lyrurus mlokosiewiczi), red-fronted serin (Serinus pusillus), goldcrest (Regulus regulus), common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs solomkoi).

There are also a rare species of frog: the Caucasian parsley frog (Pelodytes caucasicus), the Caucasian toad (Bufo verrucosissimus), and the endemic southern banded newt (Ommatotriton vittatus) and more common caucasus viper (Vipera kaznakovi).

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See also

References
  1. "Ritsa in Georgia". Protected Planet. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
  2. Abkhazia is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Abkhazia and Georgia. The Republic of Abkhazia unilaterally declared independence on 23 July 1992, but Georgia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory. Abkhazia has received formal recognition as an independent state from 7 out of 193 United Nations member states, 1 of which have subsequently withdrawn their recognition.
  3. "Strict Nature Reserve Info - Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia". apa.gov.ge. Retrieved 2018-11-09.
  4. Modern State of Populations of Rare Endem Lilium Kesselringianum Miscz. in Ritsinsky Relic National Park (Republic of Abkhazia)
  5. Ritsinsky Relic National Park
  6. Arnold Gegechkori Patterns of distribution and survival of European yew (Taxus baccata L.) in an alpine tree line ecotone in the Greater Caucasus (Georgia) Annals of Agrarian Science Volume 16, Issue 2, June 2018, Pages 170-176
  7. To Biology of a Rare Species of Primula Farinosa L. in Ritsinsky Relic National Park (Abkhazia Republic)
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