Absheron National Park – great spot for experiencing rich diversity in Azerbaijan’s landscape and wildlife

Baku, March 19, AZERTAC

Absheron National Park, which was established in 2005 on the basis of the Absheron State Nature Reserve in 783 ha area of administrative territory of Khazar district, Baku, houses a variety of fauna and flora.

The national park is located in the southeastern part of Azerbaijan’s Absheron Peninsula, in the Shah Dili territory.

A mild hot climate of semi-desert and dry heaths prevails in the territory.

The main purpose of the National Park is to ensure the protection of natural resources, the conservation of rare endangered species of flora and fauna (caspian seal, gazelle, crested duck, herring gull, mallard, etc.), environmental monitoring, and the development of ecotourism.

The national park is dominated by semi-desert and moderately warm climate of dry steppes. Coastal sandy plants, reed meadows, annual salt marshes are common here. Ephemera appear in early spring.

The Park is mainly inhabited by a gazelle, a wolf, a jackal, a wildcat, a raccoon, a fox, a badger, a hare, a mute swan, a great white heron, a coot, a marsh harrier, a green toad, a lake frog, a Caspian tortoise, a Transcaucasian agama, a golden skink, and other animals.

In the Caspian Sea in the territory of the Absheron National Park there are many Caspian seals. This species is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest seal of the world ocean.