In recent days two Asiatic cheetahs have been seen on the side of the Tehran-Mashhad road, around the Abbas Abad area.
Although seeing them is gratifying their nearness to the road is a great alarm.
It is possible that these two cheetahs wanted to cross the road, and in the absence of fences and high-speed vehicles, this could have caused an accident.
The experts of the Iranian Cheetah Society have visited this area and the rangers are patrolling to make sure of these two cheetahs’ safety.
The project “Securing Touran National Park for Asiatic Cheetahs” was officially funded by IUCN NL Land Acquisition Program in August 2014. The initial goal was to lease ca. 516 km2 of Turan National Park from grazing permit owners and securing critical seasons (i.e., winter and spring) for the Asiatic Cheetah and its prey species. The project started positively but experienced a series of unfortunate setbacks along the way, which has protracted the project for years.
Ultimately, an amendment was signed by ICS and IUCN NL to authorize the relocation of the project in 2017. This relocation was supposed to help ICS focusing on work rather than corruption and conflicts. Based on the amendment, the project title officially changed to “Creating a Livestock-Free Wildlife Refuge to Safeguard the Critically Endangered Asiatic Cheetah in Northern Iran.” This project is still ongoing in ICS, which is prioritized in the yearly work plan.
Asiatic Cheetah and Dogs in Miandasht Wildlife Refuge
This year, IUCN NL celebrates the 20th anniversary of the IUCN NL land acquisition fund, which allowed over 100 NGOs to protect and connect the – often fragmented – habitats of endangered species. Stories of these local partners and their conservation efforts are presented in an extensive anniversary report. ICS has also shared its experiences during this complex project in the anniversary report.
You can download the “Anniversary report: two decades of land acquisition for conservation” from the box below.
Further reading:
Learn more about Land Acquisition Fund on the IUCN NL website
Read more about the 20th Anniversary report of land acquisition for conservation
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The Asiatic Cheetah is a species with continuous movement. According to ICS’s data recorded throughout the 3 phases of the Population Monitoring Program, this animal can move over 200 kilometers in just a few months. Therefore safe corridors are of high importance in conserving this species. A significant portion of cheetah mortality also occurs in these areas.
The ICS is trying to observe the presence of cheetahs in these habitats through the “Explorers of Hope” Project. Based on habitat suitability modelings, these habitats are of high desirability and importance for the species or have recorded cheetah signs in them.
One of those areas is located in the province of South-Khorasan. A critical and the only corridor for the movement of the species from Naybandan wildlife refuge towards Semnan and Razavi-Khorasan provinces.
Received information claim that the South-Khorasan Department of Roads and Urban Development is planning to construct a new road in this area, connecting Bajestan to Boshruyeh. The department has also announced that the project is awaiting the permission of the Department of Environment.
According to the Iranian Environment and Wildlife Watch news agency, the South-Khorasan DoE has sent the plan to the office of Habitats and Protected Area Affairs in the central Department of Environment for confirmation. Concerning the importance of the issue, the ICS has sent a letter to this office regarding the potential threat that developing this road will make to the extremely endangered species of Asiatic Cheetah. We hope this department will strictly reject this plan; otherwise, the only possible connection point between southern and northern habitats would be disconnected by a 4-laned Road. We will stand against this project to make sure it will be canceled.
Maps reference:
UPDATE:
The official correspondence of ICS with DoE confirms the rejection of the road plan, as it is capable of destroying two protected areas.
Habitats of Khorasan Razavi province have always had confirmed reports of the presence of Asiatic Cheetah. Data on the presence of this species have been recorded in areas such as Bardaskan, Khaãaf, Taybad, and Sabzevar counties in recent years. These data were intermittently recorded over the years, making it difficult and impossible to make conservative plans. In order to design a propitious program in the province, it is necessary to conduct field studies in a scientific and continuous manner.
Therefore, a meeting was held earlier this month with experts from Khorasan Razavi DoE and the ICS, and aspects of cooperation were discussed. According to arrangements, the ICS will carry out new studies in this province as part of its program to conserve northern habitats of the Asiatic cheetah. in a more integrated way with the companionship of experts from the DoE. Certainly, collecting scattered data from other cheetah habitats will help to increase knowledge about the unstable situation of cheetahs in Iran. This is a goal that the ICS is pursuing within the framework of the “Explorers of Hope” project.
In this regard, alongside expressing its resolution on this topic, the ICS, as a nonprofit institution tries to clarify some vague aspects of the issue as following:
– The recent actions have taken place through the project of cheetah reproduction in semi-natural condition. A project that has a long and successful history in African countries. In Iran, for the first time, Mr. Jurabchian as project manager of the Conservation of Asiatic Cheetah Project (CACP), raised this issue and proceeded to fencing the area in Miandasht wildlife refuge. After that Dr. Akbari, of Natural Environment deputy of Yazd Province, and Hooman Jokar, Project Manager of the CACP, expressed their optimism about the subject.
– In 2018, Mr. Zohrabi, Natural Resources deputy of the Department of Environment (DoE) at the time, held a series of meetings with veterinarians, university professors and experts living inside the country and abroad to examine options for cheetah conservation outside the habitat. Following the analysis and the pros and cons, the DoE decided that these options should be pursued in parallel with habitat protection and that previous efforts should continue.
– Following the request of DoE, the draft proposal to setting up and managing the semi-natural reserve, which was previously prepared by Mr. Jokar in the DoE, was submitted to the ICS for completion. The ICS prepared the activity description, a schedule, etc. This plan was written in such a way that the DoE or any of its provincial administrations could implement it by themselves.
– In September 2017, the ICS planned a trip to send its experts along with the Natural Resources deputy of the time and DoE specialists to visit and observe the achievements of South Africa. The ICS tried to introduce successful conservational experiences of South Africa to DoE authorities.
– The unofficial news and information release about the process of anesthesia and the transfer of cheetahs led to the same result that the ICS had warned about. Some misinformation published on social media caused a wave of discontent and apprehension. This ambiance created a great social cost for the DoE and the project. The ICS asked its consultants (who manage 380 cheetahs in more than 70 areas across South Africa) about the quality of the box conditions and the transfer process, and they confirmed the quality of the box and the device by viewing the photos published on the Internet.
– Cheetahs of Pardisan are on a high-risk and fateful path, and it is necessary for experts, including ecologists, veterinarians, etc. to play an active role in the success of the project.
– Reproduction project in Turan National Park, considering the lessons learned by Pardisan Reproduction Center, can increase its chances for success.
– The reproduction project in Turan National Park, considering the lessons learned by Pardisan Reproduction Center, can increase its chances for success.
– From the ICS’s point of view, the ideal conditions for cheetah reproduction are at least 1,000 hectare fenced area. According to the ICS’s planning in completion of the previous CACP plan, training female cheetahs for hunting should be on the agenda.
– The ICS, in consultation with its consultant, which manages the metapopulation program in South Africa, supports the method of reproduction in multi-thousand-hectare fences located in the natural habitat called reproduction in semi-natural conditions as a necessary approach.
In the end, the ICS and the Environmental Society expect the DoE of Iran to take responsible behavior and to implement the principle of participation by seeking synergetic cooperation of experts and members of the media.
Throughout the camera trapping procedure (July-November 2019) no images of cheetahs were recorded in Miandsasht (North-Khorasan province)- a habitat that has had breeding in the recent years. A vague report of a ranger in this area has also been left unproven.
The only identified dominant male cheetah of the habitat was unfortunately killed due to road accident last year; and no sign of cheetahs were seen ever since.
Even though no cheetahs have been spotted, photos of other species show a rich habitat as you can see in the shared photos.
Despite all discouragements, the Iranian Cheetah Society continues its conservational activities in the cheetah habitats and also encourages conservation outside of the habitat, and breeding programs in fenced facilities.
Recent findings show that there are less than 40 Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) left in deserts of Iran. Regarding this fact, the Iranian Department of Environment(DOE) decided to deliberate options to save the last individuals of Asiatic Cheetahs in the country.
After numerous meetings, workshops, and site visits, DOE concluded that South Africa’s experience with fenced reserves might be a potential solution to save Asiatic Cheetahs. Through this period, Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS) facilitated connection and information exchange between DOE and South African reserves and experts.
Meanwhile, it was so crucial to have a clear guideline before starting any constructions of fenced reserve based on global experiences on breeding Cheetahs.
There was no comprehensive and accessible instructions or manual to demonstrate steps needed to establish a fenced reserve in Iran. That was essential to have this guidance for site selection, design, construction, and management of a fenced reserve for Cheetah.
After an official request by DOE, ICS made a comprehensive survey on all available data on planning and managing the fenced reserves. All research was focused on enhancing the reproduction chance in the future reserve. Various articles, protocols, reports, books, and manuals being used to prepare the final report.
In the end, we optimized procedures and structures with local laws and Asiatic Cheetah’s ecology.
In line with the objectives of ICS and following our collaboration regarding the Asiatic Cheetah Conservation Project (CACP), three workshops were held in the habitats of Asiatic Cheetah. The dates of these workshops were 28th of November, 5th, and 6th of December and the participants were rangers aiming to learn skills regarding the conservation of cheetahs.
The location of these one-day workshops were the Asiatic Cheetah Training and Research Centre in the town of Ardakan, as well as the Department of Environmental in Garmasr city and the Delbar rangers base in Turan National Park.
The participants in these workshops were from Darreh Anjir & Neybaz wildlife refuge, Siahkooh national park, Bafgh Mountain protected area, Hunting-Prohibited area of Bahabad in Yazd province, wildlife refuge of Darband Ravar in Kerman province, wildlife refuge of Naybandan in south-Khorasan province, wildlife refuge of Abbas Abad in Isfahan province, wildlife reserve of Miandasht in North-Khorasan province, Kavir national park and the Turan biosphere reserve in Semnan province.
The workshops were held to update and extend the knowledge of these rangers of Asiatic Cheetah habitat. The topics were chosen based on their usefulness for these people. For instance skills such as taking professional photos with phones, working professionally with phone GPS, spotting the tracks of carnivores in cheetah’s habitats, working with camera-traps, etc. In addition to these, some amount of information was gathered thanks to the contributions of participants.
Increasing the knowledge and the experience of rangers has a direct effect on their protection of wildlife reserves. In addition to all these advantages, their concerns and recommendations will also be shared with other people in the government.
ICS would like to thank all departments from provinces Yazd, Kerman, Semnan, Isfahan, North Khorasan and South Khorasan for their support and efforts regarding these workshops.
Thanks to the support of wildlife lovers and the financial backing of Raees Café and Sein Café, all the required budget to hire two rangers in the Miandasht Wildlife refuge has been raised.
These two persons will join the current official rangers in Miandasht Wildlife Refuge for six months to patrol and monitor the area.
Miandasht is one of the most sensitive reserves for the conservation of Asiatic Cheetahs specifically at the golden time of the year, namely, winter and spring when the reproduction of cheetahs is occurring. However, the entry of livestock and herder’s dogs threatens their situation. In addition, Yargholi, the known male cheetah of the reserve was killed in a road accident a few months ago. Therefore, the importance of increasing human resource and developing the protection plans of the area seem essential.
Iranian Cheetah Society hopes to continue the procedure with the help of those who concern to Iran wildlife and extend the contract of these ranges in the area.
