TEHRAN – So far, 20 Asian cheetahs have been found in wildlife sanctuaries across the country, officials from the Ministry of the Environment (DOE) said.
According to the latest report, the number of Asian cheetahs in the country is 26 years old, with 20 people living in the wild and six being taken prisoner, the IRNA quotes Hamid Zohrabi as saying.
Cheetah conservation is one of the top priorities of the DOE, he added.
Emphasizing the need for a change in approach in environmental policy, officials said environmental experts have developed a one-, five- and 20-year conservation plan. The DOE resumed its plans after a six-year hiatus, Zohrabi stressed.
In May, Doo Head Sheena Ansari expressed her hopes but is on the verge of extinction over the cheetah’s survival in the country.
“The extinction of the world’s rarest cats has become a symbol of our challenges and responsibility for the nature of Iran,” Ilib quoted Ansari as saying.
Looking at the low population of Asian cheetahs, officials said: “Once you wander around the vast plains from West Asia to India, Asian cheetahs are currently only present in Iran. Since 2001, around 85 cheetahs have died due to human-related factors.
DOE does its best to preserve endangered animals not only by taking action in words but also in nature. However, the goals are only met by participation and involvement of people, media, responsible institutions, and nature lovers.
“Preserving cheetahs is not merely an environmental concern. It reflects our attitude towards development, foresight and national responsibility. It is a symbol of the health of the nation’s ecosystem, the protector of the lifesphere.
Conservation efforts
Relocating livestock from cheetah habitats and winging the Tehran Mashhad Road, one of the most dangerous areas, and breeding prisoners is one of the latest measures the DOE is taking to maintain cheetahs.”
These plans focus primarily on removing threats. During these years, livestock was removed from 150,000 hectares of areas, including Golestan National Park and the wildlife sanctuary in the area, Zohrabi added.
The DOE is following up on a 2 trillion rial (approximately $2.4 million) allocation to reduce the fatality of Tehran Mashhad roads through enhanced road lighting, slower vehicle speeds and fencing.
You can also use drones and other wildlife monitoring tools to save cheetahs in the area. However, more needs to be done to reach a favorable outcome, officials further noted.
“We are doing our best to protect cheetah habitats, but plans to breed in captivity continue to increase the population. We are already taking steps to standardize our breeding capacity with the help of the private sector, Zorabi emphasized.
mt/mg