On November 15, founder and head of IDEA Public Union Leyla Aliyeva met general director of “Caucasian Nature Centre” Autonomous Non-commercial Organization Renata Shyushayte at the organization’s headquarters in Moscow.

R. Shyushayte gave information about the activities of the organization she has been heading, and their future plans. It was told that the Centre for Conservation and Protection of the Northern Caucasian Nature Autonomous Non-commercial Organization (“Caucasian Nature Centre” ANCO) has been established by the Northern Caucasia Resorts Joint-stock Company. The objective of “Caucasian Nature Centre” ANCO is to systematically implement projects aiming at protecting, increasing and protection of the Northern Caucasia’s nature, and implementing projects with the intention of supporting ecological initiatives in the Northern Caucasia Federal Region, and protecting rare and endangered fauna and flora species of the Northern Caucasia.

One of the Centre’s major projects – “The Programme for Reintroduction of the Front Asian Leopard in the Caucasus” - has been implemented since 2007, following the initiative of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. With a view to extending the Programme, the Centre for Reintroduction of Leopards in the Caucasus has been constructed within the Sochi National Park.

Leyla Aliyeva, in turn, talked about the IDEA’s projects on protection of rare animal species of the Caucasus, including the Big Five of the Caucasus Programme. She, recalling her visit to the Sochi National Park in June 2016, highly appreciated the activities of the Centre for Reintroduction of Leopards in the Caucasus. The said Centre is an institution on the population of the leopards, a rare animal species of the Caucasus. Leyla Aliyeva underscored the significance of joining the efforts of IDEA and “The Caucasian Nature Centre” in terms of increasing the efficiency of the Caucasian fauna.

A cooperation agreement was signed at the meeting between IDEA Public Union and “Caucasian Nature Centre” ANCO. In accordance with the agreement, directions of joint activities between the parties have been defined in the sphere of protection of the Caucasian leopard and increasing their number.

The parties have also had discussion over such pressing regional ecological issues as protection of nature on the frontier area and enlightening the population, reintroduction of bison in the Caucasus and increasing their number, protection of the Caspian seal and perspectives of cooperation on the promotion of eco-tourism in the Caucasus, as well as participation of the Azerbaijani youth living in Russia in ecological projects to be implemented within the framework of “2017- The Year of Ecology”.