Pskhu-Gumista Strict Nature Reserve

Pskhu-Gumista Strict Nature Reserve
IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve)[1]
Road to Pskhu.
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Location	Abkhazia,[2] Georgia
Coordinates	43°20′44″N 41°00′29″E
Area	733.48 km^2 (283.20 sq mi)[1]
Established	1941
Governing body	Agency of Protected Areas[2]
Website	Strict Nature Reserve Info

Pskhu-Gumista Strict Nature Reserve (Georgian: ფსხუ-გუმისთის სახელმწიფო ნაკრძალი) is a protected area in the Sukhumi District of Abkhazia,[2] Georgia.[1] The primary goal of the reserve is to protect flora and fauna of the area, including the surrounding mountainous region.[3]

History

Control over this area frequently changed during the 20th century. The Russian Federation established the 'Pskhu-Gumista Reserve' in 1941. In 1978, the size of the protected territory was significantly enlarged to include the area in the Bzyb River gorge and Pskhu river gorge. After Georgia re-established its independence in 1991, the modern Pskhu-Gumista Strict Nature Reserve[1] was created. With the outbreak of the Abkhaz–Georgian conflict and subsequent war, de facto control is presently maintained by the government of Abkhazia.[2]

Geography

The Pskhu-Gumista Strict Nature Reserve is in the mountainous area of Abkhazia on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus range. This reserve consists of the Gumista Nature Reserve of 13,400 hectares in the Gumista River gorge and the Pskhu Nature Reserve of 27,334 hectares in the Pskhu river gorge and the Bzyb River gorge.[1][2]

Climate

Proximity to the Black Sea and the shield of the Caucasus Mountains creates a very mild climate with heavy precipitation, though humidity decreases further inland. At higher elevations, the climate varies from maritime mountainous to cold without a distinct summer season. The region always receives a significant amount of snow in winter.

Flora

The protected area of Euxine-Colchic deciduous forests has many endemic specimens.[4]

Fauna

Mammals in the area include Caucasian Red Deer (Cervus elaphus maral), West Caucasian tur (Capra caucasica), Rupicapra, Capreolus, wild boar, Caucasian wildcat (Felis silvestris caucasica), stone marten and European rabbit.

See also

• Bzyb River
• Gumista River

References

1. World Database on Protected Areas (2018). "Pskhu-Gumista Strict Nature Reserve". Protected Planet. Archived from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
2. The political status of Abkhazia is disputed. Having unilaterally declared independence from Georgia in 1992, Abkhazia is formally recognised as an independent state by 5 UN member states (two other states previously recognised it but then withdrew their recognition), while the remainder of the international community recognizes it as de jure Georgian territory. Georgia continues to claim the area as its own territory, designating it as Russian-occupied territory.
3. "Strict Nature Reserve Info – Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia". apa.gov.ge. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
4. "Euxine-Colchic broadleaf forests | DOPA Explorer". dopa-explorer.jrc.ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 22 April 2023.