THE ANIMAL KINGDOM
The diversity of various types of animals, which inhabit and populate a
defined ground or water area, is the animal kingdom. The first reports
on the richness and diversity of animal life in Azerbaijan can be found
in travel notes of Eastern travelers. Animal carvings on architectural
monuments, ancient rocks and stones survived up to the present times.
The first information on the animal kingdom of Azerbaijan was collected
during the visits of naturalists to Azerbaijan in 17th century. Unlike
fauna, the concept of animal kingdom covers not only the types of
animals, but also the number of individual species.
The animal kingdom of Azerbaijan is very rich, partly due to diversity
of its natural complexes. There are 97 species of mammals, 357 species
of birds, 67 species of reptiles and amphibians, 97 species of fish and
over 15 thousand species of invertebrates in Azerbaijan.

People use the animal kingdom resources for food, as well as for raw
materials in industries and working power in field works. Vertebrates
are used to produce meat, eggs, feather, leather, horns, as well as
butter and technical oil. Their products are used to produce drugs,
perfumes, fertilizers and fodder. The natural habitat of various types
of animals is very different within the country. Some species populate
special restricted areas (lakes, parts of mountainous areas) while
others are spread throughout the country. For example, passerines can be
found anywhere in the territory of Azerbaijan. Protozoa parasites are
also registered in all areas of the country, depending on natural
habitat of carrier animals (cattle, poultry, etc.). Among mammals,
jeyran gazelles populate plain areas, Caucasian goat inhabits the Major
Caucasus areas, most species of birds can be found in forests, some in
water basins. Pest insects occupy different agricultural fields, while
others populate defined biotopes only.