"Mr. Velvet Scoter: The Story of a Lost Caucasian Treasure" — Nika Paposhvili and His Velvet Scoters

Velvet Scoter, or the Velvet Scoter, is a waterfowl from the duck family. It has long been known to nest in the northern regions (in the tundra, forest-tundra, and northern parts of the forest zone). However, in 2015, a young doctoral student from Ilia State University made an amazing discovery. In southern Georgia, in the highland region of Javakheti, Nika Paposhvili discovered the only nesting population of Velvet Scoters in the Caucasus on Lake Tabatskuri. Nika began searching for funding to support the research and conservation efforts for the species in this area. Thanks to Nika and his team, the number of nesting pairs on the island increased from 6 pairs in 2017 to 39 pairs in 2022.

British documentary filmmaker Saxon Bosworth, impressed by this story, made an incredible film about the project "Mr. Velvet Scoter." We invite you to watch this film and discuss it with Nika!

🇬🇪 The film will be shown in Georgian with English subtitles, and the lecture will be in Georgian with simultaneous translation into Russian.

At the meeting, you will also have the opportunity to purchase wine produced by the Paposhvili family on their own vineyard in Kakheti. 40% of the proceeds will go toward research and conservation of the Velvet Scoter population in Georgia.