Finally, after six years of research and documentary film production, first episode of
Ghameshlou National Park and Wildlife Refuge is home to three ungulates, goitered gazelle, wild sheep and wild goat. These have been subject to predation by grey wolf as well as to annual trophy hunting. Ghameshlou has been receiving significant support from the government to promote wildlife conservation, particularly for game species, yet despite four decades of official protection, little scientific research has been conducted in the area.
In a demographic study between July 2007 and April 2009, we assessed the seasonal group size variation and impact of environmental conditions on reproduction of these species. It was conducted as a joint project between Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS), Esfahan Office of Environment and Shahid Beheshti Environmental Research Canter.
Sex ratio was highly skewed toward females in wild sheep, but appears to be more balanced for the other two species. Twin lambs were encountered rarely in gazelles and wild sheep herds. Severe drought and wolf predation were considered to be the main causes of lower reproductive success in these two species compared to the wild goat. It is recommended that population parameters of the species should be monitored in order to predict potential demographic trends.
We recommend continued monitoring of population parameters in the game species in the Ghameshlou Wildlife Refuge, as these data can show population trends, which are of importance for effective conservation. Moreover, with respect to negative sex bias toward ewes in the wild sheeps, we recommend to revise hunting permits in Ghameshlou Wildlife Refuge. Meanwhile, if the population size of the gazelles is monitored at least on a yearly basis, exploitation programs can perhaps be planned.
Results of this study were recently published as a scientific paper which can be downloaded here.
Following successful experience of Cheetah Theater during past year, the Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS) is now developing a new theater for an endangered species, the Persian leopard. The leopard is the largest existing cat in west Asia which has a gloomy future, even inside Iran where the animal is still more abundant than the cheetahs. Meanwhile, numerous animals are killed every year which according to a recent evaluation, it is at least one animal per week. A majority of these mortalities are due to unawareness of local people which the theater is expected to be used to train communities. After more than 40 implementation in Tehran as well as local cities around the cheetah habitats, the
Hosted by the city of Aligudarz in Lorestan province, the first seminar namely as
As 5th year of celebration, Cheetah Day Festival is going to be held since 7 to 9 August in Tehran and several cities across Iran. The festival is organized by 21 governmental and non-governmental organizations in Iran, funded by Tehran Municipality and Iran Khodro which is the largest car manufacturer in the Middle East. After holding for half-decade, the Cheetah Day Festival is the largest wildlife-based gathering in Iran which attracts huge media coverage on benefit of the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah.
The festival has been hosted in various locations in previous years, such as Tehran zoo or Tehran Museum of Natural History. Now, 2011 festival will be held in Golestan Historical Palace with a backbone of more than 200 years, located south of the capital to increase awareness of this part of the more than 12 million people of Tehran.
31 August has been named as Cheetah Day in Iran which dates back to 1994 when a cheetah was rescued from unaware people after losing her mother with two siblings on a waterhole in central Iran. Since then, numerous educational programs have been organized in various parts of Iran so now a majority of Iranians are aware that their country is the last stronghold.
Recently, the Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS) is working to educate local people and nomads in Oshtorankouh Protected Area, western Iran where owns the highest human-caused mortalities in this part of the country. The project is funded by Parc des Felins (France), Amersfoort Zoo (the Netherlands) and Iranian DoE with a wide scope of activities. Below, you can see an image report of recent activities including a leopard seminar as well as field educational meetings.
Entrance of leopard seminar
City’s representative to the Iranian Parliament
Leopard speech
Brown bear speech
Acknowledging partners
Shol Abad, a village with high leopard mortalities
Educating nomads in the field
During a recent ornithological expedition in June 2011 to Persian Gulf’s islands, a new bird species was identified. Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus) was the new species added to the Iranian bird collection, now 524 species on list. The creature was located in Shidvar Island in the Persian Gulf which its presence was confirmed by Hormozgan DoE’s expert Meisam Ghasemi and the ICS’ Ornithologist Bagher Nezami while investigation breeding birds in the area. There was some rumors of its presence since 2006 but never been confirmed. The brown noddy exists in Pacific Oceans and Atlantic oceans and Red sea and occasional reports are available from Yemen and the UAE, southern Persian Gulf. Shidvar Island is one of the most important bird areas in the country with an area of 90000 hectares. It is among Iranian wetlands under management of the Iranian Department of Environment as a Wildlife Refuge.
Photos: Bagher Nezami/ Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS)
A special feature on Iranian brown bears has been covered in recent Hamshahri Sarzamin-e-Man, a monthly magazine with vast public audience. You can read exciting stories about several years studying the bears in different parts of Iran written by Bagher Nezami, the ICS field biologist. Population studies, behavior and life history of the largest carnivore of the country has been illustrated in the recent paper. Bagher has finished his master on the brown bears and has joined IUCN Bear Specialist Group. The magazine which is so-called as the Iranian National Geographic is published on a monthly basis and features one species. So far, the Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS) has contributed to publish relevant papers on Persian leopard, Asiatic cheetah, grey wolf and now, the brown bear in order to spread knowledge on the species in the Iranian community.
The first training workshop for ICS
During June 2011, ICS trainers held a number of educational workshops for teachers and trainers. In Mid-June, Safura Zavaran lectured for more than 60 teachers from Tehran schools about how to educate students about environment and nature in an official ceremony organized by the Iranian Department of Environment (DoE). A collection of speeches were presented by ICS and DoE experts about wildlife in rural areas, categories of protected areas in Iran, importance of nature protection, etc. Accordingly, Safura presented ICS
