The pheasantry lies in the Kogoto valley. It was founded by the Association of Friends of the Vashlovani Protected Areas with the support of the Caucasus Nature Fund, its aim being to establish a gene pool of the Colchian pheasant in aviary conditions and, at a later stage, to release the birds into the wild. The Colchian pheasant is considered the ancestor of the pheasants of Europe. According to legend, the Argonauts carried the pheasant out of Colchis, after which it spread across all Europe. The Greeks named it "phasianos" (Latin Phasianus colchicus; from Phasis, the ancient name of the Rioni River).