Excursion "Lake Tabatskuri and the Vanishing Turpins" with Biologist Nika Papashvili

Tabatskuri is one of the deepest lakes in Georgia, located at an altitude of 1991 meters above sea level. It is a closed mountain lake of volcanic origin. It was here in 2015 that Georgian ornithologist Nika Papashvili discovered the only nesting population of the turpin in the Caucasus. Before that, it was believed to nest only in the north (in the tundra, forest-tundra, and northern part of the forest zone). The Velvet Scooter, or turpin, is a waterfowl species from the duck family. Thanks to the work of Nika and his team, the number of nesting pairs on the island increased from 6 pairs in 2017 to 39 pairs in 2022.

On September 13th, we will head to this lake with Nika Papashvili, and we invite you to join us. We hope to see the turpins themselves, the extraordinary beauty of the lake and surrounding mountains, and to listen to Nika's fascinating story.