BIODIVERSITY IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS

In collaboration with the National Geographic Magazine-Georgia and the Georgian National Museum supported by Silknet, the Map of Biodiversity in the South Caucasus and its website were recently created. In the first stage we have incorporated 120 illustrations and basic biodiversity information on species found in the South Caucasus (mostly Georgia) on the electronic version of the map. Each description, prepared by a field specialist, provides key information about each species. On the printed map there are 98 species represented, with their Latin, Georgian and English names and their conservation status according to IUCN.

The large scale (3m.X1.5m) printed version of the map is displayed at the Caucasus Biodiversity Exhibition of the S. Janashia Museum of Georgia.

In the future, both electronic and printed maps will be developed with additional species and habitats in neighboring countries.

Scientists from the Georgian National Museum have worked with species specialists from Ilia State University, with oversight by the National Geographic team of specialists who supervised the illustrators to create high quality images for each species represented on the maps.

Creation of the first ever illustrated Map of Biodiversity in the South Caucasus was entirely supported by the GIZ “Integrated Biodiversity Management, South Caucasus” Project.

Buchis’ snail

Species: Helix buchii

Distribution: South Caucasus, Imereti, Ajaria, Shaori Lake, the Machakhela Gorge

Habitat: Mountain forests (mostly beech), sub-alpine meadows

Conservation status (International):
NE (Not Evaluated)

Conservation status (National):
NE (Not Evaluated)

Remark: Buchis’ snail is a relictual species endemic to the Caucasus notable for particularly large size among the shell-bearing land mollusks of western Eurasia (the size of the shell can reach 70 mm). The degradation of natural habitat (forests) within the range of distribution is the main threat to the Buchis’ snail although the conservation status of this species has not been determined.

Population size: Most populations are small. Over a large part of the range, a single individual could live on several dozen square meters. Populations rarely become large; found in habitats such as mixed forests growing on limestone, dense undergrowth near mountain springs, specific microclimates of sub-alpine meadows and others.

*Levels of Threat by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Least Concern (LC); Near Threatened (NT); Vulnerable (VU); Endangered (EN); Critically Endangered (CR); Regionally Extinct (RE); Extinct in the Wild (EW); Extinct (EX); Not Evaluated (NE); Data Deficient (DD)
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