ARTANICH PENINSULA (SEVAN NATIONAL PARK)

The Artanich Peninsula, which overlooks the junction between the northern and southern basins of Lake Sevan, between the towns of Artanich (which contains the remains of a medieval church) and Shorzha, on the eastern shore of the lake, is one of the most interesting and richest sites in terms of flora and fauna in the Sevan region. Founded in 1978, the Sevan National Park is a nature reserve covering 150,000 hectares, while the protected area of the Artanich Peninsula covers 25,000 hectares. The endangered Ichkhan (Prince) trout, which was threatened with extinction and is now highly protected, is the emblem of the aquatic fauna, but crayfish and lobsters have taken over due to the ecological problems the lake has experienced and local restaurateurs have had to adapt. On land, more than 1,000 species of endemic flora are preserved, from pine, apricot and poplar trees on the shores, to wild roses and junipers, to plants and flowers of the high meadows, in this peninsula at the foot of Mount Kachamakh (2,901 m), the highest point of the Aregouni mountain range. At the foot of the peninsula, on its marshy shores, one can see colonies of pink flamingos and pelicans among the reeds. With such a concentration of plants, it is preferable to protect oneself against insects, which are numerous especially in late spring and early summer