TEHRAN –Over the past two years, the populations of Persian yellow deer, Persian zebras, jebeer gazelle, and gazelle have experienced a 35 percent growth in breeding centers, an official with the Department of Environment (DOE) has said.

With a 65 percent increase, the number of gazelle species in breeding centers in South Khorasan, Khorasan Razavi, Kordestan, Khuzestan, and Bushehr has soared from 188 to 309, IRNA quoted Gholam-Reza Ebdali as saying.

The number of Persian yellow deer has increased from 288 to 344, a 19 percent increase, in eight breeding centers in Ardebil, Ilam, Fars, Yazd, Mazandaran, West Azarbaijan, and Khuzestan provinces

The main habitat of fallow deer in the country includes western and southwestern areas, but the declining trend in the number of this valuable species in the 1330s (falling 1951- 1961) led to measures to save them since the late decade.

Since the past 60 years, the species have inhabited protected areas, and the most important center for the reproduction of fallow deer is the semi-natural breeding site of Dasht-e Naz in the city of Sari, where in the last two years the population of the species has grown significantly.

There has been a 22 percent increase in Persian zebras' number with currently 44 zebras up from 36 in the past two years, he noted.

The Persian onager, also called the Persian zebra, is a subspecies of onager native to Iran.

It is listed as ‘Endangered’, with no more than 1,000 individuals left in the wild and only 30 individuals living within North American institutions.

Persian onagers are known to inhabit mountain steppes, semidesert, or desert plains. They are usually found in desert steppes. Their largest population is found in Khar Turan National Park.

Zebras have a weak reproduction ability and normally one foal is left out of every three foals of this species, he stated that the probability of survival of the male zebra foal is weak, because the male zebra does not accept the male foal and kills it, and this factor causes the population of zebras to decrease.

The long gestation period and the lack of twins are among the other effective factors in reducing the population of Persian onagers.

Currently, poaching for meat and hides, competition with livestock, and drought are the greatest threats to this species. Asiatic zebras are highly and legally protected; hunting them is forbidden.

One of the top priorities of the DOE is safeguarding wildlife species by placing strong emphasis on public participation, as well. Agreements signed with various private sectors have resulted in an increase in the population of these species, Ebdali mentioned.

Breeding endangered animals in captivity or breeding centers under the supervision of the DOE primarily aims to ensure population increase which will definitely impact the animals' population in wildlife once they are released in their habitats, he noted.

Currently, 105 breeding centers for valuable wildlife species including cheetahs, zebras, rams, and sheep are operating across the country. A total of 32 species are managed by the DOE and 73 are run by private sectors.

The main task of the DOE is to preserve species in nature and their original habitat, but factors such as development and land use change have destroyed and insularized their habitats and reduced the number of prey, the official stated.

Consequently, species such as cheetah, Persian yellow deer, and zebra are in danger of extinction, so the DOE has established breeding centers to prevent the loss of valuable animal genes by protecting the species, Ebdali further noted.

More than 8,000, 2,000, and 25,000 species of plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates, respectively, show Iran's rich biodiversity and the importance of its preservation.

Wildlife conservation, which includes protecting all living things on the planet, plant, and animal species, and microorganisms, means preserving the components of a large network, wherein all the components are interconnected and depend on each other in different ways.

People everywhere rely on wildlife and biodiversity-based resources to meet their needs - from food, to fuel, medicines, housing, and clothing. By saving wildlife we protect all forms of life on the planet, ourselves, and ultimately maintain the balance of life on the earth.

There are many threats to endangered wildlife species, including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and birds.

Habitat destruction, fragmentation, and modification caused by human-led activities such as industrial and residential development, logging, crop farming, livestock grazing, mining, road and dam building, and pesticide use have taken an extreme toll on threatened and endangered wildlife populations at an alarming rate.

Currently, about 128 species of animals and vertebrates in the country are at risk of extinction, some of which are not in good condition, and amphibians are the most vulnerable in this area.

MT/MG