The reserve is threatened: Azerbaijan occupied a sixth part of the Shikauch reserve in Sionik. The mother bear, who lost both legs, moved, rolled over, but continued to feed her cubs. The animal was brought to extreme exhaustion. Zoologist Harut Agtalian told the Tech about this affair, which allegedly occurred due to a mine explosion and became one of the most difficult in his practice. For about 10 years he worked in the reserve near his home village, born in Kfar Shikauch, Harut Agtalian. He walked miles deep into the terrain every day, studying the local flora and fauna. However, the new border fundamentally changed working conditions. Starting from the 44-day war in 2020 and until today, Azerbaijan has gradually conquered about 21 square kilometers. km (2100 hectares) from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia in the southeastern part of the enlarged community of Kapan - towards the villages of Narkin Hand and Tsev. Most of these 21 square kilometers of occupied land (owned by the state) belong to the territory of the Shikauch Reserve. Considering that the total area of ​​the reserve, founded in 1958, is 120 square meters. km (12 thousand hectares), Azerbaijani forces occupied about a sixth of it. In the reserve area and the adjacent Kapan communal lands, the enemy cut down the forest, laid military roads, hunted positions and carried out mining. Despite the change in the military-political situation, Harut Agtalian continued to work as the head of the science and tourism department in the reserve. According to the zoologist, the captured area, which has become dangerous for both people and animals (which used to be at the meeting of the borders of Armenia and Artsakh), was the most important migration corridor for wild animals. Among them is a Central Asian (Persian) tiger, a bezoar goat and a brown bear, which are listed in the Red Book of Armenia. The expert points out that in this part of Sionik the largest variety of species was recorded.

The reserve is threatened: Azerbaijan occupied a sixth part of the Shikauch reserve in Sionik. The mother bear, who lost both legs, moved, rolled over, but continued to feed her cubs. The animal was brought to extreme exhaustion. Zoologist Harut Agtalian told the Tech about this affair, which allegedly occurred due to a mine explosion and became one of the most difficult in his practice. For about 10 years he worked in the reserve near his home village, born in Kfar Shikauch, Harut Agtalian. He walked miles deep into the terrain every day, studying the local flora and fauna. However, the new border fundamentally changed working conditions. Starting from the 44-day war in 2020 and until today, Azerbaijan has gradually conquered about 21 square kilometers. km (2100 hectares) from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia in the southeastern part of the enlarged community of Kapan - towards the villages of Narkin Hand and Tsev. Most of these 21 square kilometers of occupied land (owned by the state) belong to the territory of the Shikauch Reserve. Considering that the total area of ​​the reserve, founded in 1958, is 120 square meters. km (12 thousand hectares), Azerbaijani forces occupied about a sixth of it. In the reserve area and the adjacent Kapan communal lands, the enemy cut down the forest, laid military roads, hunted positions and carried out mining. Despite the change in the military-political situation, Harut Agtalian continued to work as the head of the science and tourism department in the reserve. According to the zoologist, the captured area, which has become dangerous for both people and animals (which used to be at the meeting of the borders of Armenia and Artsakh), was the most important migration corridor for wild animals. Among them is a Central Asian (Persian) tiger, a bezoar goat and a brown bear, which are listed in the Red Book of Armenia. The expert points out that in this part of Sionik the largest variety of species was recorded.