Sochi National Park (Russian: Сочинский национальный парк, also Sochinsky National Park) is Russia's oldest national park, established on May 5, 1983.[1] It is located in the Western Caucasus, near the city of Sochi, in Southern Russia.[2]
In 2009, a Persian leopard reintroduction center was created in Sochi National Park, where two male leopards from Turkmenistan have been kept since September 2009. Additionally, two female Persian leopards from Iran have been kept since May 2010. Their descendants will be released into the wild in the Caucasus Biosphere Reserve.[3][4] In 2012, a pair of Persian leopards were brought to the Sochi National park from Portugal'sLisbon Zoo. In July 2013, the pair had a litter, the first Persian leopard cubs known to be born in Russia in 50 years. The cubs will be released into the wild after learning survival skills from their parents, according to Natalia Dronova, the WWF-Russia species coordinator.[5]
