TEHRAN –Thanks to the necessary measures that have been taken to standardize the breeding site in captivity for cheetahs, it is expected to witness breeding by the end of the current year (March 2025), Hassan Akbari, an official with the Department of Environment (DOE), has said.   

Akbari pointed out that there are currently three female cheetahs at the breeding site, IRNA reported on Tuesday.

The priority of the DOE is to protect the habitat, but in order to be able to grow their population, the breeding site in captivity needs to be standardized, he added.

The problem facing cheetahs is multifaceted including small population, there are currently no more than 20 cheetahs in nature; limited territory and habitat while the species is territorial and needs a wide variety of habitats with wide-ranging movements; and loss of prey, there used to be herds of over 10,000 deer in the plains of Iran, but not anymore. So sometimes the cheetah is forced to hunt for rams and sheep and even goats, which are not normally the animal’s prey.

Challenges and threats

Loss or lack of food and habitat makes it practically hard to save species. In other words, it will be highly costly and require diligence to save them.

Unfortunately, cheetahs' limited habitat in Turan national park is undergoing serious changes. There are more than 5,000 camels, other livestock, and over 30 animal husbandry with legal grazing permission.

The cattle and their herdsmen’s commutes in the region have made the habitat unsafe.

The camels consume most of the food for gazelles, which are the main prey for cheetahs. They severely destroy the water resources, and springs in the area which are very important for both the prey and the predators.

In the last two decades, at least 10 cheetahs have been killed in car collisions, an almost 40-kilometer area with the highest rate of animal-vehicle collisions.

Measures taken

To increase the number of cheetahs, we have to lower the threats. Expanding their territory, increasing the number of prey, Akbari said.

“We have tried to protect the habitats around Turan with the assistance of the private sector.”

Now, more than 14 assistant rangers are preserving the habitats under the management of the private sector and the supervision of the DOE.

“We will ensure there are enough prey by protecting prey to breed in captivity to ensure the security and survival of cheetahs’ cubs in those habitats,” the official added.

Due to the fact that in the southeast of Turan, there was almost no prey left, a number of rams and ewes were taken to the area and released into the wild.

Enhancing road lighting, and fencing are part of the measures taken to improve the security of the roads.

Iran, the last habitat of Asiatic cheetahs

Also known as the 'Persian cheetah', the species became extinct in virtually all countries in Asia and only a small population continues to live in Iran. It is categorized as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

The shocking decline in Cheetah populations in the last decades, due to the expansion of human settlements, poaching, and habitat loss, stresses the need for a global effort to preserve these iconic cats.

Education and awareness campaigns are crucial, as fostering a sense of responsibility and understanding is key to securing the future of cheetahs

Considering the fact that Iran is the last remaining habitat of the Asiatic cheetah, this species is of particular importance.

The Department of Environment has focused on breeding in captivity, and maintaining the cheetah population in the habitat.

Stating that in the last two years, many good things have been done to revive the cheetah population, Akbari went on to say that the situation of the cheetah, in general, is concerning in the country, but it does not mean to give up hope for the increase in Asiatic cheetah population.

MT/MG