On May 22, Yerevan Zoo hosted Caucasus leopard protection campaign timed to International Day for Biological Diversity.

The event featured games, contests and other entertainments for Zoo visitors. RA Minister of Nature Protection Aram Harutyunyan, Honorary Consul of Norway in Armenia Tim Straight and Yerevan Mayor’s Office representatives were also attending.

As WWF Armenia director Karen Manvelyan noted, the action is aimed to raise awareness of ecological situation in Armenia as well as environmental programs implemented.

The event was organised by World Wild Fund For Nature, Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment and sponsored by Norwegian Foreign Ministry in the framework of Biodiversity Protection and Community Development: Implementing Ecoregional Conservation Plan Targets in South Armenia project.

A rare species of leopard found only in remote areas of the southern Caucasus Mountains faces extinction, the World Wildlife Fund warns.

Currently numbers of the Caucasus leopard are estimated to have fallen to as few as 5-7 animals in Armenia.