Tehran – Less than 30 remaining Asian cheetahs in Iran have been pushed onto the brink of extinction, Chief of the Ministry of the Environment (DOE) by Sheena Ansari, worried about hopes about the survival of animals 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, but a reflection of development, foresight and attitudes towards national responsibility, a symbol of the nation’s ecosystem health and the guardian of the lifesphere.
Don’t lose hope
Relocating livestock from cheetah habitats, fencing one of the most dangerous areas, Tehran Mashhad Road, 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.
As cheetah numbers increased due to the expansion of cheetah territory and the protection of habitat, Ilib quoted Zorabi as saying in November 2024.
Emphasizing the important role of public participation in the conservation of Asian cheetahs, authorities said more than 400,000 hectares of land are protected by the private sector between Turan National Park in Semnan and Miandasht Wildlife Refuge in North Holasan Province.
He noted that plans to increase prey are being implemented through cooperation between the DOE and the local community.