After spotting the traces of the Caucasian Leopard in CWR in May 2012, a monitoring project has been launched in CWR. New generation trap cameras have been installed in CWR to prove the existence of the animal, as well as to monitor its pathways and undertake respective conservation measures

In summer 2013, the carried works gave the first results-the leopard’s tail was caught on a trap-camera followed by its body footage in a full view. The Caucasian Leopard has chosen CWR as a safe haven and its existence is now proven. The biggest of the eight recognized sub species, the Caucasian leopards inhabit  remote and mountainous areas, which make them very vulnerable to habitat fragmentation and isolation and they also face a variety of other threats across their range. These include reduction of prey species through poaching, loss of habitat caused by deforestation, over grazing by livestock, conflict with livestock owners, heavy military presence and fortification of borders and being hunted as trophies or for the fur trade

The project is aimed at securing the habitats and migration corridors of the species, preservation of its prey species, such as Bezoar goats and Armenian mouflons, as well expanding the cooperation with the South Caucasian countries to provide leopard’s safe migration across borders

The Caucasian leopard is included in Armenia’s Red book as “Critically endangered” CR C2a(i), as well as recorded in the IUCN Red list and categorized as “Endangered” . According to available data, during Soviet period-from 1950 to1972, around 75 leopards have been killed in the territory of Armenia drastically reducing their numbers to as few as 8-13 leopards remaining in the country

The WRC is the first center of its kind in Armenia dealing with rescue and rehab of red-listed species illegally held in captivity. In 2016, FPWC has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Agreement with the Ministry of Emergency Situations & Ministry of Nature Protection, expressing the willingness and readiness of parties to cooperate on abovementioned issues.

Within the frames of its mission, the WRC has addressed the issue of illegally kept red-listed brown bears in Armenia launching a long-term rescue project to tackle the widespread issue in the country. The project aims to establish long-term cooperation with international and local NGO’s and state bodies to come up with a comprehensive, multiple-staged solutions, including legislation changes, lobbying, establishment of sanctuaries and release centers for handicapped animals. The Center permanently organizes informational and educational campaigns against illegal wildlife trade, exploitation and cruel attitude towards animals, advocating for their welfare and overall wellness.

The latest initiative of reforestation in the CWR-the nursery, started in February  2016. The initiative is based on the existent species’ reproduction. The nursery mainly serves for testing the innovative technologies for the seedlings’ production. The closed root system of the seedlings’ production is considered the main method for the production of high-quality planting materials. The almond, apple, cherry, plum, pear and wayfaring (Viburnum) trees’ seeds have already been planted in 5000 containers due to this technology.

In addition, experiments are made to process the options of fillers in the seed plots. The water-absorbing polymer material called hydrogel is added to the different proportion mixture of peat and perlite. The measuring devices allow the monitoring of the main climatic conditions, which makes the working process evaluation rather easier.

Wooded areas don’t hold large space in the Caucasus Wildlife Refuge (CWR), however, they deserve special attention. For many centuries the juniper sparse forests and oaks used to be dense forests, which were almost deserted as a result of anthropogenic impacts.

During the scientific tours, the experts assessed the ecology of the area and the climatic conditions and developed a coordinated approach for further tree plantings in CWR, including identification of subspecies, soil characteristics and other important factors.

The Eco-Lodge in Urtsadzor is a co-working space and educational hub for scholars/scientists, additionally offering an eco-friendly accommodation for tourists and visitors. The Lodge organizes environmental trainings and seminars for the residents of neighboring communities, local schoolchildren and students. Annual summer schools of Sunchild eco-clubs are commonly held in the Eco-lodge as well. Moreover, the Lodge also serves as a venue for scientific conferences and eco-tourism development center. The building itself is a green model, constructed with environmentally friendly technologies. The hot water is supplied by solar panels and is then threated with a small-scale sewage station to prevent water resources pollution in the area.