Life in the Hirkan National Park

The Hirkan National Park is a lush, richly forested area of more than 400 km2 in southern Azerbaijan, stretching across the Talysh Mountains and the Lankaran Lowlands by the Caspian Sea. Virtually untouched since the Ice Age, the scenic woodlands harbor hundreds of different plant species, including unique and endemic, and provide shelter for endangered wildlife. To preserve this rich and diverse biosphere, the area was officially declared a national park in 2004. The park is, however, not only home to flora and fauna, but also to a handful of families who have been living there for many generations. Far from the infrastructure of modern Azerbaijan, they live humble lives under poor conditions, without electricity or access to education for their children