Georgia forms part of the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot, one of the richest and most singular regions of the Palaearctic. In barely three hundred kilometres the landscape passes from the glaciers of the Greater Caucasus, above five thousand metres, to the rainforests of Colchis on the Black Sea coast, and to the semi-desert hills of Vashlovani in the east. The Colchic forests are a relict of the Tertiary that survived the glaciations thanks to the buffering effect of the sea, and they keep tree and fern species that vanished from the rest of Europe. The mountains hold tur, a wild goat found only in the Caucasus, along with chamois, bears, wolves and the last traces of the Persian leopard. Meltwater rivers, the Kolkheti peat bogs and the eastern steppes complete an exceptional mosaic.
Nature in Georgia
National animal: No official national animal; the Persian leopard and the Caucasian tur are the country's wildlife symbols
Did you know?
Every autumn, around a million raptors cross a very narrow corridor over Batumi, hemmed in between the Black Sea and the mountains of the Lesser Caucasus. Honey buzzards, black kites and harriers are forced through that funnel because they cannot cross the sea by soaring. For decades they were shot as they passed; today volunteers from all over the world count them from observation stations on the hills.
Biodiversity profile
Conservation
The rainforests of Colchis were declared a World Heritage Site in 2021 for their relict character. The Persian leopard is detected only occasionally on camera traps and depends on the connection with populations in Iran and Azerbaijan.
Where and when to watch wildlife
The hills of Batumi between August and October for the raptor migration. Kazbegi and Tusheti in summer for tur and bearded vulture. Vashlovani in spring for gazelles and steppe wildlife.
Natural phenomena in Georgia
Batumi raptor migration bottleneck — Mid-August to mid-October
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
