Goravan Sands Sanctuary
Goravan Sands Sanctuary (Armenian: Գոռավանի ավազուտներ արգելավայր, romanized: Gorravani avazutner argelavayr) is a state protected area in Ararat Province, Armenia.
The reservation was established by the government of the former Armenian Soviet Republic in 1959 in order to protect the unique flora and fauna of the largest (about 200 ha) known residual of sandy semideserts in Armenia.
On the South and East Sandy paths create a complex mosaic with dry tan limestone ridges, and the boundary of the reservation in these directions is not defined.
However, the most recent field surveys and analysis of LandSat satellite images demonstrate existence of more than 10 patches of sandy semi-desert with total area of only 175 hectares and situated between 894 and 1060 m above sea level (Tadevosyan, 2005, 2006a,b) (see map at [1]).
Therefore, it is still unknown whether this discrepancy a result of a different delineation of the boundaries of the reservation in 1959, an approximation or uncertain measurements used in the governmental decision of 1959, historical changes in land use, or from the one or more factors acting together.
Later tectonic movements along with constant water and wind erosion of the bed rock adding even more complexity in the structure of the landscape (Baghdasarian et al., 1971, Tadevosyan, 2001).
Sandy habitats of the reservation remained a pretty large and wide ash-grey shore-line, thought there are no seas or lakes around.
Rocks of different size and position on the surface of the ground create a kind of shell which protects the soil from fast and deep drying, the plants from losing humidity and relatively heavy-bodied vertebrate animals from overheating and from predators.
Here one can encounter very dryness resistant (xerophylic) relatives of woody plants like Pallass's buckthorn (Rhamnus pallassii), white-hair cherry (Prunus incana), dragon-head sage (Salvia dracocephaloides), as well as relatively large animals which need reliable permanent shelters such as fox, Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo graeca armeniaca), blunt nosed viper (Macrovipera lebetina obtusa), golden grass skink (Trachylepis septemlineatus transcaucasicus), and Caucasian agama (Laudakia caucasia).
This diversity includes 12 Red List species: Dianthus libanotis (Caryophyllaceae), Salsola tamamschjanae (Chenopodiaceae), Calligonum polygonoides (Polygonaceae), Acantholimon araxanum (Plumbaginaceae), Astragalus massalskii, Astragalus paradoxus (Fabaceae), Thesium szovitsii (Santalaceae), Neogallonia szovitsii (Rubiaceae), Eremostachys macrophylla (Lamiaceae), Fritillaria gibbosa, Tulipa biflora (Liliaceae), Iris iberica subsp.
The gems of the sandy habitat are phog (Calligonum polygonoides), milfoil (Achillea tenuifolia), spurge, Kochia prostrata, Noaea mucronata, (Euphorbia marschalliana),Astragalus paradoxux, Ziziphora tenuior, Ceratocarpus arenarius, Oligochaeta divaricata and numerous other psammophyte species.
Phog is ecologically tied to one of endemic insect species of Armenia occurring in Goravan sands - Pharaonus caucasicus butterfly.
Seven species included into the National Red List: Horvath's sun-watcher lizard Phrynocephalus helioscopus horvathi (Agamidae)[1] (Phrynocephalus persicus de Filippi, 1863), Transcaucasian racerunner Eremias pleskei (Lacertidae), Schneider's skink Eumeces schneideri, golden grass skink Trachylepis septemtaeniatus transcaucasicus (Scincidae), spur-thighed tortoise Testudo graeca armeniaca (Testudidae), trumpeter finch (Bucanetes githagineus) (Fringillidae), Dahl's gerbil Meriones meridianus dahli Schidlovski (Gerbillidae).
Overage sized Shtrauch's racerunner (Eremias strauchi) is a kind of habitat generalist, which can be encountered among rock outcrops, as well as the sand, clay and hard brown soils.
Two other small sized lizards Phrynocephalus persicus and Eremias pleskei are specifically linked to sandy habitats and their closest neighborhoods.
Within sandy habitats 3 lizard species (P. persicus, E. strauchi and E. pleskei) partition their resources through differences in thermobiology, food preferences, hunting strategies and microhabitat use.
etc.,as well as small vertebrates Phrynocephalus helioscopus horvathi, juvenile Testudo graeca, who may get traumatised or even killed under the feet of multiple head herds of domestic sheep and goats, idly scattering the area of the reservation in all directions.
