Potential Analysis for Further Nature Conservation in Azerbaijan
hand they hold a particular species composition of reptiles, small mammals and birds that can only be found in this region. The dune-wetland complex is of international importance, providing resting sites for migratory birds at a bottleneck of the migration corridor between Caspian Sea and the Greater Caucasus range. Although listed as an Important Bird Area (IBA), the area does not underlie any further protection. The site is especially important for the autumn migration of waterbirds. More than 70,000 to 80,000 birds pass through each year, and about 5,000 ducks (Anas platyrhynchos, A. clypeata, A. Map 10: The catchment area of the Kura River, source: crecca, A. querquedula, A. strepera, Aythya fuligula, Netta UNEP, accessed 23.11.2009 www.grid.unep.ch rufina) and up to 5,000 Eurasian Coots (Fulica atra) spend the winter here (Bird Life International 2007). Seventy-five percent of the drinking water resources of Azerbaijan are taken from the Kura. Via a sophisticated Yet, it would only take a small effort to protect the dunesystem of channels in the Kura-Araz lowland the water wetland complex in its current state. Dune regulation is also used for irrigation. It is polluted with salts, pestiactivities and disturbances through any kind of building cides, heavy metals and other toxic substances. With the or road construction should be prohibited. A challenge ratification of the Helsinki Convention, a fi rst step of for the nature conservation in Azerbaijan is the essenawareness-raising was done, but adjacent countries have tial prohibition of hunting to warrant safe migration for yet to follow to solve the problem. thousands of birds (in particular waterfowl, and some of them globally threatened), at present a major threat L o c a t i o n : Th e recent Kura delta is located on the to the area. The initial establishment of a nature reserve border to the South Caspian basin, part of an active (IUCN cat. IV) containing the dunes and surrounding tectonic zone in which the Greater and Lesser Caucawetlands is strongly recommended. Additionally, the sus are being uplifted (Mitchell & Westaway 1999). development and enforcement of management and pro- The Kura River delta comprises 19,000 ha, of which tection measures in regard to the IBA status should be 6,340 ha are occupied by the delta and 12,600 ha are adjacent to shallow seawater areas. envisaged.
Landscape characteristics – Development: The delta’s recent shape is the result of the latest phase of delta development, which started at the beginning 2.2.2. Kura River Delta of the 19th century (Mikhailov et al. 2003). According to Galloway’s (1975) classification, the delta is domiI n t r o d u c t i o n : After the Volga, the Kura River is nated by fl uvial dynamics with redistribution of delta the second biggest river draining into the Caspian (CEP sediments through wave action on the northern shore. 2002) and the most important water source in the Southern Caucasus (Hoogendoorn 2005). It discharges 16.8 km²/a of water into the Caspian (Volga: 237 km²/a) (Dumont 1998). Th e Kura rises from springs located 2,720 m a. s. l. on the Kizil-Giadik (Turkey), runs through the territory of Georgia and finally reaches the Central Lowland of Azerbaijan, where the river merges with its main tributary, the Araz River (Map 10). The total catchment area of the 1,515 km long Kura River amounts to 188,000 square kilometres, including the Araz. The catchment area occupies the greatest part of the Lesser Caucasus and the south-eastern Greater Fig 7: Water level fluctuation of the Caspian Caucasus (Hoogendoorn 2005). Sea from 1900 till 2000
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