Ritsa Strict Nature Reserve


Ritsa Strict Nature Reserve is a protected area in the Gudauta District of Abkhazia.
Reserve main goal is protecting Lake Ritsa and flora and fauna in surrounding mountainous region.

History

In 20th century de facto control over this area frequently changed. In 1930 Russian Federation established Ritsinsky Reserve. When Georgia reestablished its independence in 1991 the territory of reserve was enlarged and modern Ritsa Strict Nature Reserve established. With outbreak of Abkhaz–Georgian conflict and subsequent war, de facto control is presently exercised by government of Abkhazia, which established here in 1996 Ritsinsky Relic National Park.

Geography

Ritsa Strict Nature Reserve is located in the mountainous part of Abkhazia on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus range, covering territory from the Gegi River gorge to the Pshchitsa River gorge.
The strong differentiation of the relief from 100 m to 3,256 thousand meters above sea level creates a rich spectrum of ecological conditions for the growth of many plants and animal habitats
The largest, beautiful and famous is Lake Ritsa. Other lakes - Smaller Ritsa, :ru:Голубое озеро |Blue Lake - no less picturesque and beautiful. There are also several waterfalls here, the most famous among them is the Gegsky waterfall, with height at about 55 meters.

Flora

The protected area of Euxine-Colchic deciduous forests has many evergreen boxwood groves as well as specimens of the Nordmann Fir, which reach heights of over 70 meters, and specimens of European yew
There are variety of rare endemic specimens, such as Lilium kesselringianum, Primula farinosa and others, such as widespread in reserve bellflower.

Fauna

are represented by Caucasian Red Deer, West Caucasian tur, Rupicapra, Capreolus, wild boar, Caucasian wildcat, stone marten and European rabbit.
Very rich is local world of birds - more than 273 species, 71 of which are rare. About 100 species of birds nest here and others passes through the park via the East Black Sea Flyway. Here one can see the golden eagle, griffon vulture, cinereous vulture, common blackbird, great tit, Caucasian snowcock, Caucasian grouse, red-fronted serin, goldcrest, common chaffinch.
There are also a rare species of frog: the Caucasian parsley frog, the Caucasian toad, and the endemic southern banded newt and more common caucasus viper.