The situation with corpses on the battlefield is getting out of control. Motion capture cameras installed in various locations in the area of hostilities have already captured how wild animals are feeding on corpses. Given that the casualties are numbering in thousands and many corpses are strewed near and along water bodies, continuity of this humanitarian disaster will lead to serious human health-related and environmental problems ranging from outbreak of various infectious diseases to spread of dangerous pathogens through wild animals and water bodies. These repercussions will not be confined to Artsakh, Armenia and Azerbaijan, but have the potential to affect wider region.

 

The impact on the biodiversity of this region, which is recognized as one of the world’s global biodiversity hotspots, having a number of plant and animal species included into the Red List of Armenia, as well as 4 species included into the IUCN Red List. The area is also a habitat for rare and endangered species, such as Caucasian leopard, brown bear, bezoar goat, black and griffon vultures, etc.

 

We call on the international community to act decisively to condemn, stop the use of force against Artsakh, civilians, vital infrastructure, mitigate the humanitarian and environmental disasters in this region.