兩百多年來，喬治亞共和國拉格底西（Lagodekhi）地區居民，以「天堂的花園」盛讚這位於該國西部一個山巒疊翠的自然保留區，自誇此處蘊含驚人的景緻與特有的動植物。現在，居民則說，這個天堂受到與日俱增的盜獵威脅。
喬治亞的非政府環境組織NACRES領導人巴特庫茲（Levan Butkhuzi）表示︰「自1990年以來，保留區裡鹿的數量從1,450降到160。許多其他物種也是同樣的情況。」
這片保留區地勢高達海拔3,500米，周圍遍佈著高山。根據保護區博物館的官方導覽，這山巒起伏的地區保護了珍貴的山毛櫸森林，以及42種稀有動物和鳥類。喬治亞州首都第比利斯的市民，非常喜愛到此度假──儘管此地觀光業尚未開發，遊客來此僅有一些相當基礎的設施可用。
不過，保留區中許多偏僻地帶已成為盜獵者捕捉高加索野山羊、岩羚羊和鹿的打獵場所，尤其鹿更是盜獵者的最愛。巴特庫茲表示︰「近年來，盜獵者的野蠻暴行為達到了新的高峰，他們甚至常在夜間從直昇機上射殺鹿群。」
保留區管理當局否認上述這些指控。資深職員馬喀拉什維里（Giorgi Mamukelashvili）表示︰「這在過去幾年來的確是個問題（直到兩年前還是），但現在幾乎沒有發生過盜獵事件。」前保護區職員則回憶說，以往有好幾群穿著統一制服的獵人，配置自動化武器來到園區裡打獵。打獵團體持續了幾年，許多野生動物遷徙到其他地方。NACRES指出，喬治亞的盜獵已經嚴重到災難的地步。
雖然馬喀拉什維里否認盜獵是個問題，但他也坦承園區管理員並沒有足夠資源進行管理。馬喀拉什維里表示︰「園方只聘請30人來照顧這廣大的地區，且管理經費僅足夠提供我們的薪水，別無所剩。曾經有段時間，我們負責為動物提供鹽巴，在冬季疊稻草堆，播種穀物好讓動物有東西可吃，得以繁衍。」巴特庫茲認為，除非採取行動起訴盜獵者，否則盜獵問題不會有所改善。
"The Garden of Paradise" is a name local people have used for 200 years to describe the Lagodekhi, a mountainous nature reserve in eastern Georgia, which boasts staggering landscapes and unique plants and animals. Now locals say this paradise is under threat from intensive poaching.
"Since 1990, the number of deer in the reserve has fallen from 1,450 to 160," said Levan Butkhuzi, head of NACRES, a Georgian environmental nongovernmental organization. "The situation is the same with many other species."
The terrain rises to altitudes of 3,500 meters, with high mountains ranging all along the perimeter. According to the official guidebook from the reserve's museum, the mountainous location has helped preserve unique beech forests and 42 species of rare animals and birds. The Lagodekhi reserve is popular with holidaymakers from the Georgian capital Tbilisi, though tourism is still underdeveloped and vacationers have to put up with fairly basic conditions.
However, more remote parts of the reserve have become a hunting ground for poachers who prey on Caucasian wild goats, chamois and especially deer. “In recent years, the barbarity of poachers has reached new heights," said Butkhuzi. "They shoot deer even from helicopters, usually at night."
Those in charge of the reserve reject these allegations. "This was a real problem for several years - even two years ago - but nowadays poaching almost never happens," said senior staff member Giorgi Mamukelashvili.
Former employees of the reserve recall groups of men in uniform armed with automatic weapons coming to the park to hunt. The shooting parties continued over several years, and many of the wild animals migrated to other areas. According to NACRES, poaching across Georgia has risen to a catastrophic level.
Although Mamukelashvili denied poaching is a problem, he admitted that park rangers do not have the resources to manage. "Only 30 people are employed here to take care of this enormous territory, and the budget provides only funds to pay our salaries and nothing else," said Mamukelashvili. "There was a time when we laid out salt licks for the animals, stacked hay for the winter season, and sowed corn for them so that they could eat and breed."
Butkhuzi believes the problem will not be solved until greater efforts are made to prosecute the poachers.
