Azerbaijan’s biodiversity has suffered a major loss.

On October 9, residents of the Astara district — Böyükağazadə Natiq Nəbi oğlu, born on 22.10.1995, and Fərəcov Səməd Yaqub oğlu, born on 01.01.1995 — who were attempting to sell the skin of a leopard hunted in the territory of the Astara district, were detained by officers of the State Border Service.

During his initial statement, Natiq Böyükağazadə admitted that in August of this year he hunted a wild leopard in a protected area within the mountainous forest zone of the Astara district.

After hunting the leopard, Natiq Böyükağazadə skinned it with the intention of selling the hide and searched for a suitable buyer. Together with his relative Fərəcov Səməd Yaqub oğlu, he was detained while attempting to sell the leopard skin for 10–15 thousand manats in the territory of the village of Çükəz in the Astara district.

It should be noted that Caucasian leopards, considered a rare gem of the world’s fauna, are included in the Red Book of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Due to illegal hunting and the degradation of their natural habitats, the number of this rare animal species has sharply declined over recent decades.

Based on photo-trap monitoring installed in Hirkan and Zangazur National Parks by the IDEA Public Association — the International Dialogue for Environmental Protection, founded and led by Leyla Əliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation — and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), as well as the results of conducted research, it has been established that 6 Caucasian leopards live in our country.

To date, as a result of joint efforts by the IDEA Public Association, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, and the World Wide Fund for Nature, a number of measures have been implemented to protect Caucasian leopards and increase their population. In particular, protection of the areas inhabited by leopards has been strengthened, and a series of activities have been organized to raise public awareness about their importance and the conservation of endangered leopards. In the area of public awareness, IDEA has implemented the “Protection of Caucasian Leopards” project. The purpose of this project was to inform people living near the habitats of the Caucasian leopard about this rare species and to promote its protection. In recent years, measures related to leopard conservation have also been implemented within the framework of the “Big Five” program, founded and led by Leyla Əliyeva, which covers the protection of five fauna species in the Caucasus facing the threat of extinction — the bear, wolf, gazelle, eagle, and leopard.

Nevertheless, there are still individuals driven by business and greed who intend to hunt these endangered animals. In this regard, the IDEA Public Association expresses serious concern over the killing of an endemic and endangered animal species in Azerbaijan.

It should also be noted that in 2009 the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources adopted a national action plan to strengthen the protection of leopards. The area of Specially Protected Natural Territories in leopard habitats has been expanded. A ban on leopard hunting has been imposed, and administrative liability for killing these animal species has been tightened in national legislation. In the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, criminal liability has also been established, along with substantial financial fines, for killing leopards.

However, unfortunately, some irresponsible individuals seeking to gain material profit at the expense of destroying our natural heritage do not refrain from killing even leopards that are under the threat of extinction.

Along with all the measures taken, the IDEA Public Association calls on citizens to protect the rich biological diversity and endemic fauna species bestowed upon our country by nature, and to inform law enforcement authorities about illegal acts aimed at the destruction of endangered animals.