TEHRAN — A three-month old leopard cub was seized from the smugglers on Wednesday and transferred to Pardisan Park rehabilitation center, Mehr news agency reported on Friday.

The leopard cub was seized in Khuzestan province from a group of animal traffickers who were trying to smuggle the animal to one the Persian Gulf states, Ramhormoz chief of department of environment said. 

A group of rangers went undercover to catcher the animal traffickers and finally managed to save the leopard cub from them, Mohsen Marhamati said. 

Unfortunately the animal sustained injuries and was transferred to Pardisan Park rehabilitation center in Tehran.

The Persian leopard is listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List; the population is estimated at fewer than 871–1,290 mature individuals and considered declining.

According to the Department of Environment, 156 leopards have been killed in Iran from 2005 to 2014, nearly 20 leopards a year. Studies indicate that currently there are less than 500 leopards nationwide.

In Iran, primary threats are habitat disturbances followed by illegal hunting and excess of livestock in the leopard habitats. The leopards’ chances for survival outside protected areas appear very slim.

MQ/MG