Armenian Nature Protection Ministry: fire in Khosrov reserve caused  big damage to ecosystem 

ArmInfo.The fourth day of the fire in Khosrov Reserve caused great damage to the environment. This, as the press service of Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia, stated the head of the department Artsvik Minasyan.

According to him, the fire covered a significant territory of the  state reserve Khosrov Forest. "The nature of the reserve is that it  is located in the eco-corridor, and despite the fact that all the  necessary measures have been taken because of the peculiarities of  the landscape, and because of the climatic conditions, the fire began  to spread rapidly over difficult terrain. And the flora of the  forest, "Minasyan said.

Ministry of Nature Protection appeals to all volunteers going to  Khosrov Forest to participate in fire fighting activities, to  approach the reserve from Urtsadzor, where the staff of the Ministry  of Nature Protection and the Ministry of Emergency Situations will  coordinate the distribution of forces and send volunteer groups to  various sites of fire.

Khosrov Reserve is a nature conservation zone in Armenia in the  Ararat region in the southern part of the Geghama mountain range. It  was founded in 1958. Occupies an area of 29 000 hectares in the  basins of the Azat and Khosrov rivers at altitudes of 1 400-2 250 m  above sea level. The Khosrov Forest is located in the Ararat region  of Armenia, 61 km southeast of Yerevan. Most of the reserve covers  the zone of highland xerophytes - drought-resistant plants that can  withstand high temperatures. The area is distinguished by a special  variety and richness of flora and fauna.

In Khosrov Reserve there are 1686 plant species, 146 of which are  listed in the Red Books. Among them are a wild pear, apple, plum,  cherry, mountain ash, hawthorn, almonds, Vavilov rye. Also here are  protected forests of juniper and oak, mountain xerophytes,  mountain-steppe and wormwood semi-desert formations. In the Khosrov  Reserve there are rare species of arachnids, crustaceans, insects,  among which a large variety of butterflies listed in the Red Book.  And also 5 species of amphibians and fish, 33 species of reptiles,  142 species of birds, 55 species of mammals, in particular,  Transcaucasian brown bear, wild boar, broad-eared hedgehog, Armenian  moufflon, bezoar goat, lynx, wolf, fox, leopard, and others.