Oryx, the international journal of conservation featured ICS
A training workshop was held in the city of Arak, west central Iran to enhance professional knowledge among game wardens and experts. Attended by around 30 people from various reserves of the region, the workshop was organized by Markazi Provincial Office of Environment and the Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS). Ecology of leopard was the main topic covered in the workshop. Meanwhile, tracking and quick survey methods were also presented by the ICS trainer. Sharing scientific information and methodologies with game wardens and experts has been a main field of effort since late 2009 by the Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS) to enhance capacity of the Iranian community for effective conservation of the wildlife.
Leopard Families Featured on Wildlife Extra Magazine
Two Families of Persian Leopards Photo-Trapped in Central Iran
In order to monitor population of elusive cat species, the largest camera trapping project has been implementing in central Iran since December 2011. Simultaneously, Bafq Protected Area, Ariz No Hunting Area, Dare Anjir Wildlife Refuge and Siahkouh Protected Area and National Park are hosting nearly 100 camera traps for more than three months which is a unique trial comparing to previous efforts to monitor cat populations in the country. The project has been jointly implemented by the Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS) and Yazd Office of Iranian Department of Environment (DoE) with financial and logistical support from CACP, Panthera, Conservation des Especes et des Populations Animales (CEPA) and Prins Bernhard Natuurfonds (PBNF) through Stichting SPOTS.
During the monitoring program, almost 8000 square kilometer of central desert biome of the country have been monitored to find evidence of rare species, particularly critically endangered Asiatic cheetah and endangered Persian leopard which both exist across fragile desert areas of Iran. The method has been approved as promising to monitor spotted cats, but it has been rarely applied for these species in Iran in a systematic approach, especially the Asiatic cheetah. Accordingly, after training workshops for local game wardens and experts, different brands of camera traps were deployed to suitable locations to capture various animals, including iconic cats.
Results of this survey will indicate how conservation efforts have affected cheetah survival in the country and will give the first reliable population estimate across multiple reserves in Iran. Also, the present snapshot will provide a scientific glimpse into rich mammalian diversity of desert ecosystems of central Iran. The camera traps will be picked up in late March to analyze their data and results will be presented to decision-makers.
Bafq Protected Area is now fighting for its survival as one of the main environmental challenges of the country is threatening the area. As usual like many other protected areas in the world, a road is planned to be developed through heart of the reserve, an area which is one of the main hotspots for two rare species, Asiatic cheetah and Persian leopard. The road shortens the present road of a couple of villages behind Bafq Mountain to the central city. Now, local people have to drive some 78 km in a well-developed flat road to arrive to the city, but the new 56 km road is not a significant shortcut, just reduces 22 km comparing to existing route. Moreover, the new road passes through dangerous and steep mountainous slopes which while enhancing traffic incidences, increases fuel consumption as vehicles need to drive in mountainous road. In the meantime, the Iranian Department of Environment has offered two new alternatives which affect the protected area less adversely; however, less success has been achieved to establish these new items. Located in central country, Bafq is one of the most important habitats for our two big cats where numerous records of cheetah and leopard families indicate a breeding site for two species, particularly for the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah. It has been under official protection since 1996 and now, there is a relatively good population of above-mentioned cats as well as caracal and Manul