Duration:
April 2005- still ongoing
[/dt_banner]Persian leopard genetic:
Throughout Iran
[/dt_banner]Status Assessment:
Throughout Iran
[/dt_banner]Duration: April 2005- still ongoing
Location:
- Persian leopard genetic: Throughout Iran
- Status Assessment: Throughout Iran
- Research pilots:
1. Northeastern Iran: Sarigol National Park, Ghorkhod & Golestan Reserves
2. Northern Iran: North Central Alborz Protected Area
3. Southeast Iran: Baluchestan
4. Western Iran
Implementing Agency: Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS)
Funding Agencies: Iranian Department of Environment, Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP, formerly known as BPCP) and Burger Zoo (Arnhem)
Project Summary
Northeastern Iran holds the highest denstiy of Persian leopard in the worlds with some well-conserved habitats for the less-known creatures in Iran. The present survey targeted the leopard as one of the most endangered felids in Iran through a field-based scientific framework to obtain information about the leopard population parameters, habitat selection, diet, ranging and dispersal, prey and competition interactions, people’s attitude and conservation needs. A main part of the project was based on camera trapping beside continous tracking to verify the data. In addition to the final scientific base and conse rvation strategies, a young conservationist team learnd more together and their experience will be published as a book. Moreover, a special attention was paid toward local communtieis around the national parks in order to be educated.
This project was of the first mid-term surveys on the Persian leopard in Iran which has played a leading role for more investigations on the species in other west Asian habiats. In coming phase, imprtant corridors of the leopards have been recognized in order to launch a radio-telemetry effort on the animals to monitor their movements.