Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan in east-central Armenia is one of the world’s largest high-altitude lakes. During the soviet era in the 20th century, hydroelectric industrialization and irrigation reduced the water level for about 20 metres to its current height of around 1900 m a.s.l. Even so, its original surface area of 1360 m2 dropped to 940 m2. The many ecological, environmental and economical problems caused by the reduction of the lake made the Armenian government decide to implement a restoration plan to increase the water level. And indeed, over the last years, the water has already been rising for about 2.5 m.
The beautiful Lake Sevan is now a national park. The highlands around it harbour several interesting reptiles. We concentrated on two species, both found just west of the lake. First, the steppe runner, Eremias arguta, of which the subspecies transcaucasica only occurs in a very limited area of steppe habitat with sand and stones. The area is full of rubbish and the population nowadays is considered endangered. Lacerta strigata was common in this area. Dice snake (Natrix tessellata) was found near the lake.
On the rocks near a monastery we visited a population of Darevskia nairensis. It is not a rare, but rather locally distributed species, and for us this was the only opportunity to see it.
Lake Sevan
Reptiles & amphibians |
5-2009 |
|
Green toad |
Bufo viridis |
>10 |
Steppe runner |
Eremias arguta transcaucasica |
>10 |
Caucasus green Lizard |
Lacerta strigata |
>20 |
Levant green Lizard |
Lacerta media |
1 |
|
Darevskia raddei |
1 |
|
Darevskia nairensis |
>30 |
|
Darevskia unisexualis |
1 |
Glass lizard |
Ophisaurus apodus |
10 |
Dahl’s whip snake |
Platyceps najadum |
1 |
Dice snake |
Natrix tessellata |
2 |
|
|
|
Other highlights |
|
|
Ortolan bunting |
Emberiza hortulana |
4 |
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AM_cart_BV
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/168.jpgThe countryside near Lake Sevan.
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AM_Eremias_habitat_BV
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/167.jpgLooking for one of the rarest reptiles (sub)species of Armenia: Eremias arguta transcaucasica. The immense Lake Sevan is visible in the upper left corner.
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strigata 2x
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/106.jpgCaucasus green Lizard (Lacerta strigata) can occur in high densities here. Note that the head of the male gets almost entirely blue in spring.
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lacerta media
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/107.jpgMale levant green lizard (Lacerta media). Only the sides of the throat get blue.
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AR_Eremias_transcaukasic
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/158.jpgSteppe runner, Eremias arguta subspecies transcaucasica.
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Sevan
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/63.argutaSteppe runner, Eremias arguta subspecies transcaucasica.
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Sevan
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/62.tesselataDice snake (Natrix tessellata) is common on the banks of Lake Sevan. They get larger here than in Europe.
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nairensis
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/111.jpgDarevskia nairensis
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AR_Tigranmetmes_GL
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/582.jpgTigran is solving yet another mathematical riddle. He was unbeatable. We invited him to visit us with his knife and spend an evening in the Korte Leidsedwarsstraat.
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AR_Armeniancowboy2_GL
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/831.jpgAn Armenian cowboy...
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AR_Streetview_GL
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/832.jpgJust a streetview...