Zamaneh Media
  • Latest Articles
  • Latest News
  • About Zamaneh Media
    • Exiled Media Report
    • Sponsors
    • Donate
    • Vacancies
    • Contact us
    • Legal
  • Advertise
  • Labor Rights
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest Articles
  • Latest News
  • About Zamaneh Media
    • Exiled Media Report
    • Sponsors
    • Donate
    • Vacancies
    • Contact us
    • Legal
  • Advertise
  • Labor Rights
No Result
View All Result
Zamaneh Media
No Result
View All Result

74 Iranian wildlife species red-listed by Environment Department

by Zamaneh Media
February 27, 2014
in Latest Articles
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
74 Iranian wildlife species red-listed by Environment Department

At least 74 species of Iranian wildlife are on the red list of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, a sign of serious threats against the country’s biodiversity.

The Iranian Department of Environment published a report in advance of World Wildlife Day on March 3, detailing the state of animal biodiversity in Iran. The report lists 1,140 animal species in Iran, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish living in internal lakes as well as surrounding seas.

The Department of Environment has warned, however, that 74 of these species are on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and if there is no calculated effort to save rare and endangered Iranian species such as the onager, Iranian cheetah, black bear and yellow deer, they will soon become extinct.

In less than 100 years, rare species such as the Iranian lion and Mazandaran tiger have become extinct. According to the Department of Environment’s chart, the Iranian cheetah (Asiatic cheetah) is now in a critical situation, while the Iranian yellow deer, onager (Persian zebra), Caspian seal, blue whale and wing whale are at risk of extinction. Other mammals such as the Persian ibex, deer, long-fingered bat, Armenian mouflon and black bear are placed in the “vulnerable” category.

A number of birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish are also endangered or even near extinction. The white-backed vulture, Great Spotted Eagle, Eagle-beaked Turtle lagoon crocodile, Lorestan salamander, sturgeon and wild carp are among the species listed as endangered or in critical condition.

Why is Iranian wildlife declining?

The Department of Environment has offered three main reasons for the decline of so many Iranian wildlife species: factors related to urban development and human activities, natural factors, and factors related to the lack of adequate protection. In terms of urban development and human activities, the main issues have been identified as the availability of illegal weapons, the overexploitation of wildlife habitat for livestock, and the trade in wildlife species and their body parts.

In terms of natural factors, repeated droughts have had the most adverse effect on the habitat and lives of Iranian wildlife. However, the issue of the growing list of endangered and extinct species in Iran cannot be completely understood without looking at the weaknesses in the legal structure and environmental efforts to protect wildlife. In general, there are insufficient personnel and resources available to protect wildlife, and laws and regulations are too lax to ward off transgressors.

There are 272 conservation areas around Iran for a total of 17 million hectares under the supervision of the Department of the Environment, variously named national parks, protected areas, and natural wildlife refuges, all meant to protect the genetic resources of the country. There are only 2,617 rangers and 430 environmental monitoring units engaged in protecting these vast areas, which amounts to 6,500 hectares to cover for each ranger. Optimum protection at international standards would require at least 1,000 environmental monitoring units to cover that much territory.

Meanwhile, the legal system does not offer much protection for Iranian wildlife. Penalties for poachers are by no means prohibitive or commensurate with the offences, and Parliament has been showing disregard for wildlife by passing laws and regulations such as the act that lets the Ministry of Industries and Mines exploit mines without the involvement of the Department of the Environment, and by approving large national development projects without demanding comprehensive study of their impact on wildlife habitats.
 

Related Posts

“When the statues are toppled, the city will be ours!”
Latest Articles

“When the statues are toppled, the city will be ours!”

September 21, 2023
Woman, Life, Freedom: The Chronicle of an Uprising That Shook Iran
Latest Articles

Woman, Life, Freedom: The Chronicle of an Uprising That Shook Iran

September 16, 2023
Cartoon of the Week: Freedom of Speech in Iran
Latest Articles

Cartoon of the Week: Freedom of Speech in Iran

September 7, 2023
The Shape of Borders to Come: On the EU and Tunisia Immigration Deal
Latest Articles

The Shape of Borders to Come: On the EU and Tunisia Immigration Deal

August 28, 2023
Labor Protests Continue in Iran Despite Suppression: Download Zamaneh’s  Quarterly Report
Latest Articles

Labor Protests Continue in Iran Despite Suppression: Download Zamaneh’s  Quarterly Report

August 5, 2023
The Iranian Prisons are Brutal for Queer and Trans Individuals: Five Eyewitness Accounts
Latest Articles

The Iranian Prisons are Brutal for Queer and Trans Individuals: Five Eyewitness Accounts

July 30, 2023

RSS Iran in Other Media

  • Iran says it has successfully launched an imaging satellite into orbit amid tensions with the West - The Associated Press September 27, 2023
  • Israel says Iran recruited Palestinians for hits on Ben Gvir, ex-MK Glick - The Times of Israel September 27, 2023
  • Iran Shows No Signs of 'De-Escalation' - The Dispatch September 27, 2023
  • Iran's Rezaei Claims Bronze in Taekwondo at Hangzhou - Sports ... - Tasnim News Agency September 27, 2023
  • Iran Says It Has Successfully Launched an Imaging Satellite into Orbit Amid Tensions with the West - Military.com September 27, 2023
  • Israel foils Iran terror plot to 'assassinate' Ben-Gvir - Shin Bet - The Jerusalem Post September 27, 2023
  • Dust in Western Iran: the emergence of new sources in response to ... - Nature.com September 27, 2023
  • Bipartisan group of senators urges European allies to push U.N. on ... - Jewish Insider September 27, 2023
  • Iran: Crackdown on women's rights fuels female brain drain - DW (English) September 27, 2023
  • Iran Sympathizes with Iraq over Tragic Wedding Fire in Nineveh - Tasnim News Agency September 27, 2023
  • Iran 3x3 Basketball Defeats Japan at Hangzhou - Tasnim News Agency September 27, 2023
  • Iran says it launched Noor 3 satellite into orbit - Reuters September 27, 2023
  • European components fueling Iran`s Kamikaze drones used by Russia against Ukraine: Report - WION September 27, 2023
  • The Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict Can Change The Balance Of Power In Iran, Turkey, Russia, All The Way To China - Forbes September 27, 2023
  • Iran says it put Noor-3 satellite successfully into orbit amid tensions with West - CNBCTV18 September 27, 2023
  • Tehran accuses Netanyahu of threatening to nuke Iran in his General Assembly speech - The Times of Israel September 27, 2023
  • Iran says it has successfully launched an imaging satellite into orbit ... - The Seattle Times September 27, 2023
  • Iran's state-run news agency says Tehran successfully put an ... - The Journal September 27, 2023
  • IntelBrief: Iran's Strategic Partnership with Russia Continues to Expand - The Soufan Center September 27, 2023
  • Volleyball Wins Iran’s First Gold in 2022 Asian Games - Tasnim News Agency September 27, 2023
Zamaneh Media

© 2020 Zamaneh Media

More information

  • Sponsors
  • Donate
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Legal

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Latest Articles
  • Latest News
  • About Zamaneh Media
    • Exiled Media Report
    • Sponsors
    • Donate
    • Vacancies
    • Contact us
    • Legal
  • Advertise
  • Labor Rights

© 2020 Zamaneh Media