Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests at the highest elevations. Other native tree species include Caspian Locust ("Gleditsia caspica"), Velvet Maple ("Acer velutinum"), Cappadocian Maple ("Acer cappadocicum"), European Ash ("Fraxinus excelsior"), Wych Elm ("Ulmus glabra"), Wild Cherry ("Prunus avium"), Wild Service Tree ("Sorbus torminalis") and lime tree ("Tilia platyphyllos"). The Caspian tiger ("Panthera tigris virgata") once roamed these mountains, but is now extinct. Other large mammals here are the Caucasus leopard ("Panthera pardus ciscaucasica"), lynx ("Lynx lynx"), brown bear ("Ursus arctos"), wild boar ("Sus scrofa"), wolf ("Canis lupus"), golden jackal ("Canis aureus"), jungle cat ("Felis chaus"), badger ("Meles meles"), and otter ("Lutra lutra"). This ecoregion is
River Meles be subject to contradictory views among scholars and other concerned parties. Homer is connected with the valley of Smyrna and the banks of the Meles. His figure was one of the stock types on coins of Smyrna, one class of which showed the poet sitting, holding a volumen on his knees, and supporting his chin on his right hand was called "Homerian" by numismatists. The epithet "Melesigenes" (which means, "son of Meles" was applied to him. The cave where he was to compose his poems was described as being near the source of the river, his temple, the Homereion, stood