Jul 3, 2015, 11:10 AM

8 Asiatic cheetahs spotted in Shahroud

8 Asiatic cheetahs spotted in Shahroud

SEMNAN, Jul.03 (MNA) – The head of Khartouran Biosphere Reserve (BR) of Biarjmand, Shahroud, has announced spotting of 8 rare Asiatic cheetahs within last two days.

Ali Akbar Qorbanlou told Mehr News local correspondent on Thursday that 5 adult cheetahs along with their 3 cubs had been spotted; “in another case, a female cheetah along with her 3 cubs of rare species of Asiatic phyla have been sighted somewhere in south of Kalateh Kiki, 3km from Biarjmand, Shahroud in Semnan desert province,” he said.

“Despite the scarcity of their prey, Asiatic cheetahs have had an incipient resilience in the region thanks to good and effective measures by the government along with public appreciation of the animal,” Qorbanlou hoped.

“The sighting of this rare species is a source of hope for the Khartouran Biosphere Reserve; in last few days, another group, consisting of 4 adult cheetahs in the vicinity of cultivations of Biarjmand, which rejoiced the local farmers and animal right activists and lovers alike,” said the head of the Biosphere Reserve.

He also expressed gratitude for recent performance in recent few years of the authorities and Biarjmand people in protecting the wildlife; “the considerable spotting of the cheetahs in the region restores hope to the hearts of animal lovers and wildlife activists; this communicates a message for us; the drought has attracted the cheetah prey, the deer, into plantations and into human settlements; the second message is that the wildlife feels protection and security in the region,” he added.

“Khartouran National Park is the most protected major habitat of the rare species of cheetah; the health and the population of the cheetahs are in good shape in the Park,” Qorbanlou told Mehr News, lamenting the recent illegal hunting and hunters, which he said, one of the hunters had been arrested with the carcass of a  jabiru in his hand.

“The hunters had a binocular telescope, which was seized by the rangers; the hunters usually chase the deer into the point of exhaustion and easily hunt the beautiful animal,” Qorbanlou mentioned as their measure.

 

News ID 108336

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    • Nader 00:05 - 2015/12/06
      0 0
      This is wonderful news ! Hope this is an early sign of recovery of the Asiatic cheetah in the wild.