Leyla Aliyeva attends presentation of documentary on gazelles

Apresentation of “Azerbaijan. Rescue of gazelles” documentary has been held in Baku. Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Founder and Head of IDEA Public Union Leyla Aliyeva attend the ceremony.

Before the presentation, Leyla Aliyeva familiarized herself with a photo-stand featuring photos made by film director Igor Byshnyov during the shooting. Then the film was shown.

The film was shot in specially protected natural areas in Shirvan, Aghgol, Absheron, Kurchayly and Gobustan. With 40-minute timing, the film states that although formally gazelles inhabited the South Caucasus densely, sharp reduction was observed in their number last century. As a result of air-counting carried out in the republic in 1961, 131 gazelles were spotted on the republic’s territory.

To rescue this rare species, Bandana State Reserve was created in 1961, and Shirvan State Reserve in 1969, and in 20 years, the number of gazelles reached 3,000. In 2003, the Shirvan National Park was created on the territory. Looking at the results, one can assuredly say that gazelles in the South Caucasus have been rescued thanks to the works carried out in Azerbaijan.

The documentary also reflected the works carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry of Azerbaijan in the framework of the Programme “Protection, reintroduction and restoration of historical habitat of gazelles in the Republic of Azerbaijan”. Thus, gazelles from the territory of the Shirvan National Park were settled to Ajynohur-Sarija and Mil plains, to the Bozdagh chain and Gobustan-Gangichay State Natural Reserve. Ever since its foundation, the IDEA Public Association has supported activities on restoration and protection of gazelles, and has made its contribution to this activity.

After the presentation of the documentary, film director Igor Byshnyov, thanking initiator of the project “Azerbaijan. Rescue of Gazelles” Leyla Aliyeva, shared his impressions of the shooting.

The documentary is the fourth film realized by IDEA, directed by Igor Byshnyov. The first three films are the documentaries “Shirvan National Park”, “Bird Paradise – Aghgol National Park” and “Goygol National Park”, which were made in the framework of a project entitled “Miracles of Azerbaijan” by IDEA Public Association.

The documentary “Azerbaijan. Rescue of Gazelles” will be shown at IDEA’s initiative, in higher schools of the country, as well as at resource centers of the association in Baku and Ganja.

Moreover, it is expected that the film will be shown in other countries and within the framework of various international events.