Oct 5, 2026
It’s home to bone-eating birds, 1.9m-long leopards, and the world’s only white-clawed bears
Despite its small size, Armenia in the Southern Caucasus has a rich mix of habitats, home to an array of charismatic animals.
Mark Hillsdon
Published: October 5, 2026 at 1:08 pm
Despite its size – about an eighth the area of the UK – this small, landlocked nation in the Southern Caucasus is at an important crossroads between Europe and Asia, with a rich mix of habitats from mountains to forests and semi-deserts.
It’s home to 17,000 different species of animal including several which are Endangered that find sanctuary across the varied landscapes of the 30,000 ha (74,000-acre) Caucasus Wildlife Refuge in south-west Armenia.
Armenian wildlife
Caucasian (or Persian) leopard
Elusive, solitary and largely nocturnal, the leopards roam huge ranges, and a key conservation measure is creating more connected landscapes across the Caucasus region. The largest of eight sub-species of leopard – they can grow to 190cm long and weigh in at 70kg – their stocky bodies are covered with a unique pattern of black rosettes.
Armenian mouflon
Sadly, the mouflon has suffered a steep decline in recent years, as they’ve struggled to evade poachers, while much of their habitat has been lost to mining. They are also often out competed for food by domestic livestock.
Syrian brown bear
Although they prefer the mountains, habitat loss and a lack of food is forcing them to scavenge closer to villages, leading to inevitable human conflict. They were also traditionally used for public entertainment but a new sanctuary has recently opened to home bears rescued from captivity.
Bezoar goat or ibex
Despite their huge scimitar-shaped horns – which are the longest in relation to body weight of any animal – they’re dextrous enough to evade predators by climbing impossibly steep mountainsides. Their name comes from bezoar stones, a solid mass of hair and indigestible plant materials which forms in the gut.
Bearded vulture
Also known as the lammergeier, this is one of four species of vultures to patrol the skies of Armenia. As much as 90% of their diet is bones, which are digested by strong gastric juices. They can also be spotted flying high clutching larger bones, which they drop onto the rocks, shattering them so they can eat the rich marrow.
Unlike most vultures, the bearded vulture’s head and neck are feathered rather than bald, as its preference for bones means it doesn’t have to reach inside carcasses to feed.
—