Vashlovani National Park

Vashlovani National Park (ვაშლოვანის ეროვნული პარკი) is located in picturesque Kakheti, in the southeast of Georgia, near the border with Azerbaijan. Its main purpose is the conservation of a unique forest-steppe, known as "light forests". The park was established in 1935 as the Vashlovani Reserve, and in 2003 it became a national park, covering an area of 251.14 km². It also includes a sanctuary of 84.8 km². The park is home to 664 species of plants, including 40 endemic to the Caucasus. Among the trees, you can find pistachio, juniper, cherry, maple, pear, fig, and pomegranate. It is inhabited by 80 species of birds, and among mammals, you can find hedgehogs, hares, foxes, wild cats, wolves, brown bears, badgers, wild boars, jackals, martens, hyenas, ferrets, and gazelles. In 2004, a leopard was even spotted in a remote part of the park.