EcoLur
WWF Armenia Director Karen Manvelyan presented the list of plants and animals on the verge of extinction in the territory of Amulsar and adjacent territories at EcoLur Press Club on 22 May. Karen Manvelyan outlined mining as among reasons for biodiversity reduction. By the way, Article 26 of RA Code on Subsoil prohibits mining in the territories with red-listed species.
The existence of red-listed species in the territory of Amulsar mine development has been intensively discussed still from 2012. The findings of WWF Armenia studies show that the following red-listed species have been detected in Amulsar and its adjacent areas: one plant species - Potentilla porphyrantha, two species of lizard, eighteen species of birds and four species of mammals.
“Geoteam” CJSC Chief Environmentalist Armen Stepanyan noted that there are no red-listed species in the territory of the mine itself, and what about the whole territory of the project – 13,000 ha, the Code on Subsoil doesn’t put a ban on the whole territory of the mine.
Karen Manvelyan is sure that the operation of heavy machinery in Amulsar territory and the presence of people will have negative effect on the biodiversity.
“Center for Bird Lovers” NGO Chairman Silva Adamyan referred to the problem of wolf killing in Armenia.
In the end Karen Manvelyan said good news: a pregnant leopard has been observed in Armenia. Watch the details in the video.
May 22, 2013 at 21:01