TEHRAN – A natural cave was discovered in Habul National Park in Baft County, Karman Province during a recent research programme, according to the Environment Director of the Karman Province.
Mohsen Jafarinejad added that the discovery occurred in line with plans to identify and investigate local caves under the state’s control, Isna reported.
A team of the Spaology Working Group secretaries, environmental experts and members of the Carman Kaving Association recorded the opening of the cave and completed the Boltong and surveying project, he said.
He recalled that last year’s census was first identified by environmentalists Ebrahim Alidadi Seleimani and Hafez Rezbani and introduced to the Superiorology Working Group’s Secretariat.
Jafarinejad also followed the difficult route leading to Cave’s opening, recording location coordinates before a technical team led by Zeynab Youusefipour, president of the Kerman Caving Association, carried out the rolling and rope laying work.
The manipulation recorded a depth of 150 meters in the well in the cave, he added.
Mehrangiz Heydarian, who is in charge of the Kerman Speleology Working Group’s secretariat, said choosing the appropriate name and conservation assessment for the cave is on the agenda of the relevant working group.
She added that the plan for optimal exploitation of this natural phenomenon in Khabr National Park will be one of the future measures.
Khabr National Park has an area of approximately 12,000 hectares. Inside the park there are five wildlife shelters called Ruchun (Ruchun). The total area of Khabr National Park and Ruchan Wildlife Revuge is 150,000 hectares.
This area is highly biodiversified, due to its altitude, numerous plains, and diverse watersheds. Groundwater is the main resource that supplies water to the park.
Khabr National Park won the title of “Protected Areas” in 1971. In 1975, Iran added more sections to the park. In the same year, the area was entitled “Khabr and Ruchan Wildlife Revuge.” In 1991, UNESCO engraved the area as a cultural and tourist attraction. Furthermore, most of the area has been converted to national parks. Khabr National Park has a wide range of landscapes, habitats, wildlife and vegetation.
The climates of Khabr National Park and Ruchan Wildlife Refuge are almost mild in subtropical and parts of the tropical region. The high mountains along flat, low plains are characteristic of this region. The area also has dry, rocky, inpassable mountains, valleys, ridges, mountain forests, plains and grasslands.
The three types of cold, temperate and tropical climates within the park led to the formation of various ecosystems. Approximately 750 plant species have been identified in the area. The park has been suffering from drought for several years. However, vegetation and animal life were extremely resilient during droughts.
Within the boundaries of Khabr National Park and Ruchan Wildlife Revuge, there are four main habitats. These habitats include cold plains, cold highlands, temperate, tropical plains, and subtropical highlands.
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