Human Communities

The Caucasus region has been inhabited by human communities for thousands of years. But because of remote areas and inaccessible gorges, 27% of the area is still "natural". The lack of fuel and alternate energy source has tripled firewood consumption, increasing illegal timber cutting. Overgrazing of sheep has also eroded the natural vegetation 39-50% depending on what area.

Poaching

One of the biggest threats against the Caucasus biodiversity is the poaching of animals. The highest risk animals are the leopard, brown bear, wolf, Bezoar goat, and the tur. The numbers of these species have drastically decreased because of illegal poaching.

Decreasing Biodiversity