Presence of Asiatic cheetah possible in Isfahan

Noting that the presence of cheetahs in Abbas'abad Wildlife Refuge has been confirmed in recent years, the deputy head of monitoring and supervision department of Isfahan General Directorate for Environmental Protection said, "Isfahan province has nearly one million hectares of areas where the presence of Asiatic cheetahs is possible."

Iran (IMNA) – "The measures taken by Isfahan General Directorate for Environmental Protection and responsible counties are pursuant to the defined goals and strategies of the Organization aiming at conservation the Asiatic cheetah population," Hossein Akbari noted.

"Cheetahs have not been seen with naked eyes in Abbas'abad Wildlife Refuge over recent years, but leftover remains and evidences such as preys, footprints and undocumented observations of Eco tourists, ranchers, and miners reveal the presence of this endangered species in Abbas Abad," Akbari added.

"It is difficult to estimate the cheetah population, but what is certain is that such species do not form a large population in this area, and if we prove the presence of one cheetah, it will be very promising to revive this species," he continued.

Pointing to the necessity of training as the second stage of the initiative entitled Conservation of the Asiatic Cheetah and its Associated Biota , he said, "Training environmentalists and local communities leads to more accurate monitoring of habitats and protecting wildlife."

"To reach the aims of improving the condition of such habitats, restoring water resources and protected areas during the last 15 years, several measures have been carried out which has led to surge in the number of baits in cheetah habitats," he said.

Pointing out that some people compare Asiatic Cheetahs' habitats with African ones, Akbari said, " Asiatic Cheetahs live in plains, mountains and mountainous foothills where water resources and preys are accessible."

Appreciating the cooperation of local communities and General Department of Natural Resources to manage grazing in protected areas, he noted, "We have plans to protect wildlife habitats, especially those recognized for Asiatic Cheetah; it requires the companionship of organizations and public participation of local communities."

News ID 444603

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