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Water for Cheetahs Project

Facing Climate Change: Transforming Threats to Opportunities

by pourmir December 7, 2020

written by pourmir 1 minutes read

Since 2014, ICS launched the “Water for Cheetahs” program to tackle climate change impacts on Asiatic Cheetah habitats.
During these years, we hired a person to supply water for throughs in Miandasht Wildlife Refuge. Camel-proofing and maintenance throughs were other initiatives by ICS to fight the drought.
We know local people’s knowledge as a valuable source to enhance conservation efforts. Conservationists who seek local solutions made the most notable impact in preserving biodiversity and landscapes.
Considering this fact, we constructed 12 dams in Miandasht Wildlife Refuge during 2019. These dams intended to control seasonal floods and keep freshwater for months after winter. This water not only can be used by wildlife directly but also will strengthen vegetation behind the dam. Meanwhile, controlling floods will decrease erosion. Locals currently use this method to grow more vegetation for their livestock.
Starting the Fall, we noticed that most of these dams need maintenance to keep them working during Fall and Winter. Therefore, ICS hired a wheel loader to repair all previously constructed dams plus three dams built by locals in the past.
Meanwhile, 30Km of dirt road inside the Refuge is leveled by the loader.
This project has been funded by Stichting SPOTS, our partner in the Netherlands.

December 7, 2020 0 comment

Water for Cheetahs Project

“Water Ranger” for the sixth year; this time in Touran Biosphere Reserve

by pourmir August 4, 2020

written by pourmir 1 minutes read

Despite having relatively good precipitation during the past two years, human-made water troughs in desertic areas remain in need of maintenance and refills in the hot season. This could prevent rangers from patrolling the reserve, but with the help of caring people, the problem could be solved.

This year with the sponsorship of the “Ahmad Tea” company, Mr. Ali Rajabi has been given the responsibility of providing water and helping other rangers of the Touran Biosphere Reserve.
Management of water resources is essential for conserving Asiatic Cheetahs. The Iranian Cheetah Society, and its sponsors, alongside wildlife lovers, will not sit back from the chances of saving the species.

August 4, 2020 0 comment

Asiatic Cheetah Conservation Program

Constructing dams in Miandasht has been started

by pourmir March 15, 2019

written by pourmir 1 minutes read

The Iranian Cheetah Society has constructed 8 small dams in Miandasht Wildlife Refuge to provide water for the area and its wildlife. The rangers of Miandasht WR cooperated in running this project by identifying and suggesting the proper locations to construct the dams. These dams will create seasonal and temporary ponds that can be used by Cheetah preys and other species.

This project has been funded by Stichting SPOTS, our partner in the Netherlands.

March 15, 2019 0 comment

Asiatic Cheetah Conservation Program Water for Cheetahs Project

Local herder engaged through the “Water for Cheetahs” campaign, spotted two Asiatic cheetahs

by pourmir October 9, 2018

written by pourmir 1 minutes read

In 2015, our team launched a campaign to provide water for Asiatic cheetahs and their natural prey in Miandasht Wildlife Refuge in North Khorasan Province. Because of excessive livestock grazing and a prolonged drought, local rangers used to spend a significant portion of their working hours supplying water for artificial water sites (‘wildlife drinkers’) inside Miandasht, which, in turn, negatively affected their anti-poaching patrolling of the reserve. Through the “Water for Cheetahs” campaign, the Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS) has been able to raise funding to enroll a local herder to assist Miandasht rangers in the water provision for wildlife.

On July 23rd, 2018, the local wildlife authority reported that this local assistant has spotted two adult Asiatic cheetahs near one of the artificial wildlife drinkers. Miandasht is believed to support one of the last two viable cheetah sub-populations in Iran. Thanks to private donors and our partner organization World Land Trust, we have been able to continue the “Water for Cheetahs” campaign in 2018. Learn about how you can help us to continue this work in here.

October 9, 2018 0 comment

ICS News Water for Cheetahs Project

The ‘Water for Cheetahs’ campaign enters the third year

by مدیر سایت January 27, 2018

written by مدیر سایت 1 minutes read

The Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS) launched ‘Water for Cheetahs’ campaign in 2015 to support provision of water for wildlife during warm seasons in Miandasht Wildlife Refuge, North Khorasan Province. Miandasht is home to one of the last viable populations of the Critically Endangered Asiatic cheetah. This cheetah reserve is threatened by human-derived degradation, excessive livestock grazing, and prolonged drought. When ICS launched this campaign, local rangers had to spend the majority of their working hours supplying water for artificial water sites (‘wildlife drinkers’) in the reserve, which negatively affected their anti-poaching patrolling of the reserve. Thanks to the support of our donors, in particular the Prince Bernhard Nature Fund, we have been able to fund the recruitment of a local herder to help the local wildlife authority in the water provision for wildlife.

In 2017, the Water for Cheetahs campaign received support from Synolex Oil Company, as well as donations collected with the help our partner organization, World Land Trust. Learn about how you can help us to continue this work in 2018: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Iranian-Cheetah-Society

January 27, 2018 0 comment

ICS News

“Water for Cheetahs” second yearly report published

by مدیر سایت January 30, 2017

written by مدیر سایت 2 minutes read

Miandasht Wildlife Refuge in North Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran, is a critical cheetah habitat supporting one of the last known populations of the Critically-Endangered Asiatic cheetah with reproducing females. Human-derived degradation, together with prolonged drought and competition between local herders and Miandasht wildlife is threatening this fragile ecosystem. Miandasht rangers are forced to spend the majority of their working time supplying water for artificial water points in the reserve, which negatively affects their routine anti-poaching patrolling of the reserve.

In 2015, the Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS) launched a fundraising campaign to get resources needed to support a local herder in taking over provision of water during warm seasons for artificial drinkers installed across Miandasht. The campaign was a success in 2015 and the local wildlife authority in Miandasht expressed its wiliness for further collaboration with this project. Later supported by a generous grant from Prince Bernhard Nature Fund, ICS re-launched this campaign in July-August 2016.

Thanks to generosity of the Iranian private donors, IRR 56,400,000 was raised during the second year of this campaign. This donation was solely used to provide basic equipment for the local assistant in Miandasht, as well as to pay his salary for 8 months in 2016. The project team is now delighted to announce that the project’s second year report is now available online (in Farsi) and can be download here.

January 30, 2017 0 comment

Asiatic Cheetah Conservation Program members Water for Cheetahs Project

Water for Cheetahs Project’s first annual report submitted

by مدیر سایت December 21, 2015

written by مدیر سایت 1 minutes read

Miandasht Wildlife Refuge in North Khorasan Province is one of the key cheetah reserves in Iran. The reserve hosts a viable cheetah population with at least two different cheetah families of a mother and three cubs and a mother and one cub, documented by the Iranian Cheetah Society’s camera traps.

Water sources in Miandasht is limited, and during the hot summers local wardens have to frequently maintain multiple artificial water sources across this arid reserve. In total, 10 artificial water sources provide the invaluable water for both Miandasht’s wildlife and ranger stations within this reserve. During the host season which usually last for about 6 months in late spring to early autumn, each artificial water supply must be manually filled 12-18 times. As the local wildlife authority has limited resources and the local wardens need to focus on anti-poaching patrols, maintaining the artificial water resources becomes very problematic during the hot season.

In collaboration with the local wildlife authority at Jajarm, the Iranian Cheetah Society launched a campaign in spring 2015 to fundraise recruitment of local people to be responsible for maintaining the Miandasht’s water sources. Within 10 days, we could successfully raise the necessary budget and delivered it to the local wildlife authority. As a result, the water sources during the previous hot season were fully functional and no water shortage appeared.

December 21, 2015 0 comment

Asiatic Cheetah Conservation Program

The publication of the Cheetah’s Water Program’s report

by مدیر سایت December 4, 2014

written by مدیر سایت 1 minutes read

After the public invitation done by the Iranian Cheetah Society for collecting charity money for means to improve the Miandasht’s protected area’s water supply, fortunately thanks to the financial help given by the kind citizens, a part of this area’s water supply has been repaired. Along with pure gratitude for these people, a report of the process is sent to registered members as an attached file.

December 4, 2014 0 comment

Asiatic Cheetah Conservation Program Water for Cheetahs Project

Water For Cheetahs

by مدیر سایت June 19, 2014

written by مدیر سایت 2 minutes read

While Iranian cheetahs “National Soccer Team” are running in the Brazil’s World Cup, the cheetahs in hyper arid landscapes of Iranian deserts are suffering from limited water availability due to presence of feral camels. There are two types of water resources within Iranian desert reserves, natural springs and artificial waterholes which are regularly filled with tanker by the rangers in hot summer. Camels can drink huge amount of water just at once and then they play and destroy basic infrastructure of waterholes, resulting in water flow on the ground. We plan to resolve the problem through intensive consultations we received from experienced local nomads, by constructing basic metal structure just around artificial resources to allocate these limited water reservoirs for the cheetahs and their prey. The camels still can meet their water needs from existing natural springs. Each reserve will cost around 1000 $ to ascertain camel-proof water resource and if you might be willing to support us to secure water for the cheetahs, please donate by click here.

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