TEHRAN –A conservation program is going on to protect great bustards (Otis tarda), which are close to extinction in the country.

To support the bird’s survival and strengthen its population, an action plan for the management and protection of the species was developed and is currently being implemented by the provincial department of environmental in West Azarbaijan province, IRNA quoted Gholamreza Ebdali, an official with the DOE, as saying.

Measures taken so far include monitoring the habitat and population of the bird continuously, managing landfills and transferring them to a different place far from the habitat of the species, and controlling the population of stray dogs. 

Purchasing local farmers’ products in the region to minimize the possibility of damage to nests or chickens at the end of the breeding season, working with local communities, and raising local people as well as farmers’ awareness about the habitats of chickens are among other effective measures of the DOE to revive the bird.

In addition to preserving the genetic diversity of the remaining population of the great bustards, the DOE aims to protect and increase the population of chickens in their natural habitat by improving and restoring habitat quality and removing potential habitat threats.

However, the second phase of the conservation efforts focuses on breeding the bird in captivity. The DOE also plans to work with international partners and experts to improve genetic diversity.  

In 2023, Hassan Akbari, an official with the DOE, said that the great bustard is the second critically endangered species after cheetahs, as there are only 20 of the species left, IRNA reported.

The western province of Kordestan and the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan are the main habitats of the bird in Iran.

Endangered species

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