The Department of the Environment reports that the deer population in the Shirahmad Wildlife Sanctuary in Sabzevar, Khorasan Razavi Province has declined by almost 90 percent in the past five years, with the head count falling from over 2,864 to less than 360.
The Department of the Environment reports that the high number of deer in the sanctuary had previously brought suggestions of transferring 300 head of deer to the Asiatic cheetah habitats.
The Asiatic cheetah is one of Iran’s most severely endangered species, with its numbers rapidly falling due to the loss of habitat and food sources, road accidents and hunting.
Since 2010, the deer population in Sihrahmad has been quickly falling.
The main reasons include repeated droughts and the failure of authorities to provide adequate food sources for the deer. A lack of food has forced the deer out of their habitat, exposing them to hazards such as illegal hunters, herd dogs and road accidents.
