2 rare bird species spotted in southern Iran

TEHRAN – Two rare species of rock bunting and masked booby have been spotted for the first time in Bandar Genaveh, southern Bushehr province, Mohammad Tolideh, chief of Bushehr department of environment has announced.

7-month heavy rainfalls beat 2-year drought: IMO official

TEHRAN – Director of National Drought Warning and Monitoring Center (NDWMC) affiliated to Iran’s Meteorological Organization (IMO) Sadeq Ziaeian announced that since the beginning of current water year (starting on September 23, 2018) precipitations have compensated for the below normal averages of past two years.

‘It’s simplistic to believe that recent floods recharge groundwater resources’

TEHRAN — Believing that groundwater resources will be simply recharged after recent floods is simplistic and unscientific, head of groundwater resources department at Qom Province Regional Water Company has said.

Wetlands reduce flood devastation to a third

TEHRAN – Wetlands played an important role in minimizing destructive effects of flood which has recently hit many provinces across the country, deputy chief for natural environment and biodiversity directorate at the Department of Environment (DOE) has stated.

Asiatic cheetah kept in captivity may possibly reproduce

TEHRAN — Asiatic cheetah, also known as Delbar, which is being kept in captivity at Tehran’s Pardisan Park may possibly reproduce within the next 50 to 60 days, deputy chief for natural environment and biodiversity directorate at the Department of Environment (DOE) has said.

After deluge Helmand River springs back to life

TEHRAN — After 18 years of dryness the almost dead Helmand River returned to life following recent torrential rainfalls, YJC reported on Saturday.

Locusts threaten 300,000 ha of farming lands in Iran

TEHRAN — Some 300,000 hectares of farming lands are threatened by desert locusts’ breakout, Iran’s Crisis Management Organization spokesperson has said.

Land subsidence an overlooked threat to the country: expert

TEHRAN – Although land subsidence is too subtle to be detected, it must be tackled before incurring great loss, which has been proved to be more destructive than flood and earthquake, deputy director for Iran National Cartographic Center has said.

Wetter-than-normal year not to make up for prolonged drought

TEHRAN – Hassan Sasani, an official with Isfahan regional water company, emphasized the urgency to tackle water scarcity in central parts of the country, noting that longstanding drought will not be eased by a year of above-normal precipitations.

Relief foundation to create 5,000 job plans in flood-stricken areas

TEHRAN –Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation will open up a total of 5,000 job plans for those financially struggling affected by flood, Parviz Fattah, the Foundation’s head has announced.

Night herons spotted in western Iran

TEHRAN – Some 500 night herons have been spotted in Zarivar wetland located in the western province of Kordestan for the first time, an official with Marivan department of environment has stated.

By Jamshid Parchizadeh

The most important threats to brown bear populations in Iran

Iran is a vast country with an area of 1,623,779 km2 in which there are 164 mammal species including the Asiatic black bear and brown bear. Human-bear conflict is the main reason for the brown bear number reduction and range collapse in this country. In this short article, I summarize the most important threats to brown bear populations in Iran:

Unprecedented clean air in Tehran

TEHRAN — Tehraners have breathed 21 days of excellent air since the beginning of the new Iranian calendar year (March 21), ISNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

Rainfalls bring back vulture to western Iran

TEHRAN-- A vulture has returned to a protected area in western Iran after 2 decades following recent downpours that have revived over 40 wetlands in the country.

Triops Cancriformis sighted at Hamoun wetland years after disappearance

TEHRAN —Triops cancriformis, or tadpole shrimp, was sighted at Hamoun wetland in southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan after two decades of drought in the area, the provincial department of environment chief has said.  

Heavy rainfalls revive drying Lake Urmia

TEHRAN – Recent downpours causing flood that recently left many provinces of Iran submerged, have made the world’s second largest saltwater lake come back to life, as the water level of the northwestern Lake Urmia has raised dramatically.

Asiatic cheetah, Persian leopards observed in north central Iran

TEHRAN – An Asiatic cheetah and two Persian leopards have been spotted in Shahrood county in north central Semnan province, Amir Abdous, the provincial department of environment (DOE) chief has announced.

Recent rainfalls filled 70% of dams, restore drained wetlands: minister

TEHRAN — Recent heavy rainfalls in Iran has filled 70 percent of dams and resulted in restoration of drained wetlands across the country, Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian has said.

Recent rainfalls not to fully address prolonged droughts: expert

TEHRAN – Despite above normal rainfalls amounting to 256 millimeters the country has received since the beginning of the current water year (starting on September 23, 2018), it cannot be claimed that the long-term droughts are set right, director for flood control and aquifer at Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization has said.

Injured Caracal survived death in southern Iran

TEHRAN – A Caracal, a wild cat, found wounded in Jahrom city, the southern province of Fars, survived after receiving immediate medical treatment, IRNA reported on Friday.

Flood responsible for 61% of natural disasters

TEHRAN – Flood is the leading natural disaster being responsible for 61 percent of the total natural disasters happened in the country, according to studies conducted over the past four decades in Iran.

Northwestern Kani Barazan Wetland play host to 30,000 migratory birds

TEHRAN — Some 30,000 migratory birds have winged their ways to Kani Barazan Wetland, located in northwestern province of West Azarbaijan, Mahabad chief of department of environment has said.

CITES seeking to ban rare spider-tailed horned viper trade

TEHRAN – The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has proposed to ban illegal trade of spider-tailed horned viper, a unique species of viper endemic to western Iran being pushed toward extinction through poaching, ISNA reported on Tuesday.

Anzali wetland should become main obsession of university students: academic

TEHRAN – Environmentally concerned university students should join hands to find solutions for reviving Anzali wetland in northern Iran, Mehdi Kazemi Khaledi, director for the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research has said.

67 villages hit hard by sand and dust storms

TEHRAN — Some 67 villages in Rigan, the southeastern province of Kerman, are severely hit by sand and dust storms causing a great deal of discomfort for the residents, Rigan governor has said.

SDSs haunting 35,000 sq. km of country’s land area: GSI

TEHRAN — Approximately 35,000 square kilometers of the country’s land area in various regions are being haunted by sand and dust storms (SDSs), director of Geological Survey and Mineral Explorations of Iran (GSI) has said.

‘Further measures required to preserve forests’

TEHRAN – Iran's forest area is approximately 12 million hectares with 0.2 hectares per capita, which is one quarter of the world average, so attention to preserve the forest areas must be four times the global attention, faculty member of the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands has said.

Water flowing again into Zayandehrud river in Noruz

TEHRAN – Zayandehrud river, which was once flowing in central province of Isfahan, will be filled with water again in Noruz holidays (the Iranian New Year celebration, starting March 21), Tasnim news agency reported on Monday.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Qanat, a solution to water scarcity?

For many years, the country has been suffering from droughts and lack of water resources; wetlands, rivers, lakes and open drains have dried up gradually. While experts believe that the current water scarcity is due to poor water management policies, do qanats give us the right policy?