Tusheti National Park

Tusheti National Park
Tusheti National Park
Map showing the location of Tusheti National Park
Map showing the location of Tusheti National Park
Tusheti National Park
Map showing the location of Tusheti National Park
Map showing the location of Tusheti National Park
Tusheti National Park
Location Georgia
Nearest cityTusheti
Coordinates42°24′36″N 45°29′13″E / 42.41000°N 45.48694°E / 42.41000; 45.48694
Area1,276.43 km2 (492.83 sq mi)[1]
Established2003
Governing bodyAgency of Protected Areas
Websiteapa.gov.ge/en/protected-areas/cattestone/tushetis-daculi-teritoriebis-administracia
Map

The Tusheti National Park (Georgian: თუშეთის ეროვნული პარკი) in eastern Georgia is one of the eight new protected areas approved by Parliament of Georgia on 22 April 2003.[1]

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Bank were part of this approval process under the "Georgia – Protected Areas Development Project". Plants conserved in the park are pine groves (Pinus sosnowskyi)[2][3] and birch groves (Betula litwinowii and Betula raddeana).

The Tusheti Protected Areas includes Tusheti National Park, Tusheti Protected Landscape and Tusheti Strict Nature Reserve with total protected area about 113,660.2 ha.[4]

The key faunal species in the park are the Anatolian leopard (Panthera pardus ambornii), bear, chamois, falcon, golden eagle, lammergeyer, lynx, wild goat and wolf.[5] The park was named one of the "12 best places you’ve never heard of" by BudgetTravel in 2011 not only for its rich biodiversity but also for its aesthetic terrain, hamlets, old defense towers, cuisine, and folk culture.[6]

  1. ^ a b Tusheti in Georgia Protected Planet
  2. ^ Pinus sylvestris (sosnowskyi)
  3. ^ Pinus sylvestris var. hamata Steven
  4. ^ Tusheti protected area, Georgia
  5. ^ "Tushetian Protected Landscape". tusheti.ge. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  6. ^ "Wildlife viewing in Georgia's Tusheti National Park". IUCN Organization. 5 December 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2015.