Supporting conservation of West Caucasian tur (Capra caucasica) in Georgia

Natalie Avaliani

The West Caucasian tur is one of the most endangered and highly endemic species in the Caucasus. The lack of recent data about the population status of this species rendered it impossible to carry out any conservation activities in the study area. The aim of this project is to promote the conservation of mentioned species by:

1) Identifying 'Capra caucasica hot spots' (the areas under high poaching pressure) in Svanetia
2) Estimating the number of animals in these 'hot spots' using stratification, cluster counts
3) Increasing public awareness toward this species by hosting local community meetings and sharing information leaflets.