Arpachay

Arpachay State Nature Sanctuary is a protected area in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Azerbaijan, covering about 689 square kilometres along the Daralayaz (Daralagez) range. It was established on 22 June 2009^[1].

The sanctuary is a refuge for mountain fauna, including the Persian leopard, bezoar goat, mouflon and Caspian snowcock.

Vegetation follows the mountain's altitude, from dry foothill steppe at the base to rocky slopes and meadows higher up.

The sanctuary covers the slopes of the Daralayaz range, a mountain ridge on the Armenian border of Nakhchivan.

Nakhchivan has a dry continental climate, with hot dry summers and cold winters; the mountains are cooler and wetter than the valley floor.

The sanctuary lies near Sharur district, a long-settled agricultural area on the Arpachay River valley of Nakhchivan.

The sanctuary was established on 22 June 2009 as a state nature sanctuary, covering about 68,911 hectares^[1].

The sanctuary's main interest is its wildlife and mountain scenery along the Daralayaz range; no trails or attractions are documented in the sources.

The nearest town is Sharur, about 20 km from the sanctuary's reference point. The area is a border zone and no visitor facilities are documented.

As a state nature sanctuary it is managed by Azerbaijan's ministry responsible for ecology and natural resources, and it protects wild populations of the Persian leopard and other mountain species.