Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian Minister of Nature Protection Erik Grigoryan has refuted the statements regarding the endangered species discovered in the territory of Amulsar, saying that the area is not a natural habitat for the Apollo butterfly and the alleged “Acantholimon caryophyllaceum Boiss” is actually a different plant from the same family, which is not listed in the Red Book.
Erik Grigoryan ordered to form a working group that conducted additional studies in the area of Amulsar gold mine at the request of the ministry’s Department of underground resources and land protection policy.
According to Erik Grigoryan, the group included representatives of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Nature Protection, the head of inspectorial body of Vayots Dzor marz who performed as the project manager, and staffers of FPWC.
The group has worked since September 4 and reported that the plant Apollo butterfly uses to lay eggs does not grow in Amulsar, therefore the area cannot be considered the butterfly’s natural habitat.
