How the law protects endangered species
Wild nature under threat of extinction is protected by Georgian legislation on three levels: it prescribes general licensing of removal from the environment, registration in the Red List and the Red Book, and the spatial protection associated with protected areas. Specifically, for the self-reproduction of wild plant and animal resources and the maintenance of biodiversity, their removal from the environment is strictly limited and subject to licensing — the only exception being the granting of the right to prepare timber as a result of an auction conducted by the forest management body under the Forest Code.
Along with licensing, the law establishes a general prohibition: any action that may harm the world of wild plants and animals, their habitats, breeding areas and migration routes is forbidden. This norm reaches beyond the licensing framework: even against the background of lawful activity, damaging a habitat is itself a prohibited act. The rules of protection and use of wild flora and fauna are established by Georgian legislation.
The Red List and the Red Book
Wild animals and wild plants under threat of extinction are registered in the Red List and the Red Book of Georgia. These two registries are the state's fundamental instrument: entry into them means that the species is objectively recognized as endangered and that every issue of its use must be resolved with appropriate care. The procedure for compiling the Red List and the Red Book is determined by Georgian legislation.