Kaputan Lake: The Mirror of the Zangezur Mountain Range
Armenia is a magical country. Winding roads will take you back to medieval times, to a glorious past. Legends are everywhere here; all you need to do is listen and enjoy the country’s unique charm. This visit will be full of discoveries for me as well, because although I have traveled extensively throughout Armenia, there are places I have only heard about and will be setting foot in for the first time. If I am lucky, I will see animals listed in the Red Book. I will walk along routes where I myself have never been before. If I say I am excited, that would be a very mild way of putting it.
In my discoveries, of course, I have helpers, people who work day and night precisely in this field. It is thanks to them that you often see the face of the Armenian leopard living in our mountains in the media and on social networks, while the animals included in the Red Book are their constant guests.
The “Zangezur Biosphere Complex” SNCO of the Ministry of Environment was established in 2013. It manages seven specially protected areas in the Syunik Province: the “Shikahogh” State Reserve, “Arevik” National Park, and the “Zangezur,” “Khustup,” “Sev Lake,” “Plane Grove,” and “Bovakar” sanctuaries, which differ from one another in their protection regimes. It preserves, protects, and restores the flora and fauna under its care, natural ecosystems, landscape diversity, unique natural monuments, and the sustainable development of natural resources.
The places I plan to visit are located within the specially protected natural areas of the “Zangezur Biosphere Complex” SNCO. What does that mean? It means that we do not have the right to enter the area without prior notification. By the way, it was in this office that I first learned about the bezoar goat and the mouflon. Before that, they were all simply goats to me. But… just as the staff tested me by asking whether I could tell the difference between a goat and a sheep, I will explain to you that they are completely different animals. The bezoar is a goat, while the mouflon is a sheep. In reality, they are very unique creatures that live far from human eyes, avoiding people and living their wild lives.
But we sawwww… As our guides told us, nature was generous to us, and we managed to encounter a mouflon. It is difficult to distinguish a mouflon from the colors of nature with the naked eye, because nature has made every effort to protect its creation. They are inconspicuous and very agile animals. It is difficult to keep them fixed in your gaze at one point; perhaps a camera can come to the rescue.
The first stop in the Zangezur Sanctuary is Kaputan Lake. It is a natural monument. An unreal beauty, a hidden gem.
Կապուտան/Գոգի լիճ
Kaputan (Gogi) Lake is located at an altitude of 3,286 meters. It is one of the deepest lakes in Armenia, with a maximum depth of 22 meters and a surface area of 10 hectares. Thanks to the purity and clarity of the water, it is possible to see the lakebed up to a depth of 3 meters.
If we were as eloquent as the heroes of Greek mythology, we could justify the lake’s name without a second of hesitation. Being so clear and situated at such a great altitude, the lake undoubtedly reflects the blue of the sky in its depths every day. And indeed, when you stand close to the shore, the crystal-clear blue sky is reflected as if in a spotless mirror. And within this divine beauty, perhaps the goddesses of the mountains are swimming.
To be continued…
This material was prepared with the support of the “Zangezur Biosphere Complex” SNCO of the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia.
