FLORA

Georgia boasts around 4,200 species of vascular plants (including 153 trees and 11 lianas), of which 380 are endemic to Georgia and about 600 to the Caucasus; and between 8,400 and 10,000 cryptogamous or spore-bearing plants (including between 7,000 and 21,000 fungi, 2,600 algae and seaweeds, 675 mosses, 738 lichen and 74 ferns). Ten species are extinct, notably the chickpea (Cicer arietinum), the Georgian elm (Ulmus georgica), the TransCaucasian poplar (Populus transcaucasica), and the Eldari pine (Pinus eldarica); 50 species are in a critical state – including the fern (Osmanda regalis), the Mingrelian birch( Betula megrelica) etc; around 300 species are now rare, including the Pitsunda pine (Pinus pityusa), the Saguramo camomile (Anthemis saguramica)and about 140 are seriously reduced, including the joint-pine (Ephedra distachya), Mediterranean caper (Capparis spinosa), etc.

Lowland Colchic forests are dominated by oak (Quercus pedunciflora, Q. hartwssiana, Q. imeretina), chestnut (Castanea sativa) and lime (Tilia sp), while higher regions are covered by beech (Fogus orientalis), fir (Abies nordmanniana) and spruce (Picea orientalis), with an evergreen understorey. At subalpine levels there are crook-stem and dwarf forests of birch and oak. Other trees and shrubs found in the Colchic district include hornbeam, pine, juniper, pistachio, Colchic boxwood, cherry-laurel, holly, bladder-nut, Colchic hazel, rowan, wing-nut, Caucasian wing-nut, small0leaved elm and the extremely rare strawberry tree.

The High Caucasus is also rich in endemics; on the southern slopes at lower to mid-altitude there is thick deciduous forest, which on the southwestern slopes is described as "temperate rain forest". Then between 1,250m and about 2,300m there is mixed deciduous-coniferous forest of birch, dwarf rowan and rhododendron, with spectacular flowers in clearings and on the forest edges.

Above the tree line (between 1,800m and 2,400m) are subalpine meadows, which are very lush to the west: herbaceous plants include masterwort, maroon lousewort, bistort, lilies, bellflowers, orchids, cornflowers, etc.

Although Georgia`s territory is small, there is a wide variety in the nature of plant life. At one extreme there are the plants of eastern Georgia`s dry semi-desert and mountainous regions; at another, there are the thick humid woods that flourish in the subtropical climate of Colchis.

Fauna

The fauna of Georgia is also notable for its diversity. There are 105-110 species of mammals, 322 species of birds, about 52 reptiles and 13 amphibians, around 160 fish, and thousands of invertebrates (including 290 mollusks, 150 homoptera, 8 lepidoptera). Twenty-one species of mammals, 33 birds and 10 reptiles and amphibians are listed as rare, threatened or endangered; these include the goitered or Persian gazelle which is probably extinct in Georgia. The striped hyaena and Caucasian leopard remain only a few in the arid steppes of southeastern Georgia.

Large mammals such as red deer, bear, wolf, boar, lynx, jackal, ibex, chamois, wild goats and wild sheep (moufflon) are found almost exclusively in the High Caucasus.

Mammals

There are four species of wild goat: the West Caucasian tour, the East Caucasian tour or Daghestanian goat, bezoar or pasang and chamois and all are suffering from hunting. The red deer is also endangered by an increase in hunting; in eastern Georgia numbers fell from 2,500 in 1985 to 880 in 1994. Likewise the lynx has fallen from 500 in 1990 to just 160 now. The wolf and the bear are also endangered. In fact the main hazard for hikers in the mountains is the Caucasian sheepdog, used to guard sheep.

Mid-sized mammals in the mountains include the badger, pine marten, stone marten, marbled polecat, wild cat, fox, hare, and weasel. Other endangered species include the jungle cat whose range stretches from here to Indochina, the European otter, the Caucasian mink and golden jackal. The Persian squirrel is suffering from an invasion by the European squirrel.

Twelve species of small mammals are endangered or vulnerable, largely due to over-grazing or agricultural expansion; these include the red-backed vole, the TransCaucasian golden hamster, the pygmy or grey hamster, the shrew, the birch mice, and the Prometheus vole, most of which have been split up into isolated groups. Many of these are endemic to the Caucasus: the TeansCaucasian golden hamster, the black-chested hamster, the shrews and the water shrew, birch mice and the Prometheus vole; the Caucasian moles; the yellow-breasted mouse and hybrids with the house mouse.

Cetaceans

There has been little research on the cetaceans of the Black Sea, but the harbor porpoise, bottlenosed dolphin and common dolphin are all present.

Reptiles

There are around 52 species of reptiles in Georgia (the total keeps changing as lizards are reclassified), 25% of which are endemic to the Caucasus. The dominant lizard species is Lacerta praticola, while L. rudis, L. derjugini, L. parvula, L. mixta, L. valentini, L. unisexualis, L. clarcolum, L.valentini and L. mixta may or may not be separate species. Much the same applies to the Vipera kaznakovi complex. Threatened species include Schneider`s skink; the lidless skink; the leopard snake – perhaps the most beautiful in Europe – and the TransCaucasian ratsnake; the dwarf snake; the boigine snake; the racerunner; the turtle; the snake-eyed lizard – the commonest lizard in the Anatolian steppes; the javelin sand boa; the garter snake; the Caucasian viper; the Levantine viper – the giurza; V. dinnicki; and Lacerta dahli.

Amphibians

Georgia`s amphibians consist of four species of Caudata ( the Caucasian salamander), the banded newt, the smooth newt and the southern crested newt and nine species of Anura – the frogs and toads. A quarter of these are endemic to the Caucasus. The Caucasian salamander is in fact only found in the Lesser Caucasus, not the High Caucasus. Pelobates syriacus, Mertensialla caucasica and probably Hyla savignyi are threatened, and Pelodytes caucasicus, Bufo verrucosissmus and Rana macrocnemis are in decline.

Fish

A quarter of fish species are also endemic to Georgia; the sturgeon is probably extinct in Georgia, while A. guldenstadti and A. sturio are endangered. Eastern European fish have been introduced into the lakes of the Javakheti plateau, virtually wiping out local fish species; the Crucian carp is also harming newt populations.

Birds

Georgia acts as a "funnel" for birds migrating from their breeding grounds in Siberia and northern Europe to their winter homes, so it is hardly surprising that very few (only 0.08%) are endemic to the Caucasus, and even these are subspecies rather than distinct species. Twenty species are endangered: the lammergeier or bearded vulture, the black vulture, the griffon vulture, the Egyptian vulture, the peregrine, the lanner falcon, the short-toed eagle, the marsh harrier, the Imperial eagle, the lesser spotted eagle - the Georgian population of both are under 85 pairs, the golden eagle, the booted eagle, the Caucasian snowcock, the black francolin, the grey partridge, the black stork, the spoonbill, the crane, the demoiselle crane and the glossy ibis, as well, probably, as some woodpeckers and passerines. Certainly the Syrian woodpecker is vulnerable, as, amazingly, is the pheasant; having taken over the world it is suffering in its land of origin from loss of forest and increased hunting.

There are many raptors, which nest in the mountains but can often be seen hunting in the semi-desert of David-Gareja; other mountain species include the Caspian snowcock – from the Eastern Caucasus to Iran, the Caucasian snowcock – more to the west, and the Caucasian black grouse – typically Caucasian, and probably a relict species. There is an isolated population of the alpine finch or great rosefinch, which otherwise lives in Central Asia, the scarlet grosbeak breeds from Sweden to Japan and passes through to winter between Iran and china. An endemic subspecies of the rock partridge can be seen near the snowline.

Other species found in the High Caucasus include Kruper`s nuthatch, the white-winged or Guldenstat redstart, Radde`s accentor, the red-fronted serin, the grey-necked bunting and rock-bunting, the alpine accentor, the redwing – only in winter – and a subspecies of jay.

In the deserts you may find the trumpeter bullfinch, the rufous bush robin, or tugai nightingale, the chukar, and in winter great bustard and little bustard.

Perhaps the most important bird habitats are the wetlands of the Black Sea coast and the Javakheti plateau, where you may see migratory birds such as white spoonbills, red-breasted geese, red-necked grebe, white pelican, Dalmatian pelican, squacco haron, great white egret, little egret, white stork, black stork, glossy ibis, ruddy shelduck, ferruginous duck and other ducks, herons, geese and cormorants.