‘Too soon to decide cheetah kept in captivity is pregnant or not’

TEHRAN – Female Asiatic cheetah, Delbar, kept in captivity, undergone artificial insemination at Pardisan Park in Tehran earlier this year (starting on March 21), and may be pregnant but it is still too soon to determine, Majid Kharrazian-Moqaddam, director of the wildlife conservation and management at the Department of Environment has said.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Human-animal interactions: Hospitable locals play host to storks for ages in Iran

TEHRAN – Iranian hospitability never failed to bring back the storks from their wintering grounds; oddly enough erecting nesting sites endlessly on their roofs remained favorable to the birds, showing that the relationship between them is peculiarly an intimate one.

Wildfire risk increases in Zagros foothills

TEHRAN – Following heavy rainfall doused the country during the past months, vegetation has covered vast areas of Zagros forest in southwestern part of the country, which easily ignites when temperature level gets higher and wildfire risk increases.

40,000 flood-stricken families received appliance packages

TEHRAN – Iran Red Crescent Society (IRCS) volunteer organization provided some 40,000 packages consisting of household appliances to the families affected by flood, head of IRCS volunteer organization Mohammad Nasiri has stated.

170 birds, animals released back to wild

TEHRAN – On the occasion of national environment week, some 170 animals and birds of 15 species have been released back to the wild, Mehr news agency reported on Monday.

Guardian Council ratifies bill on soil conservation

TEHRAN – The Guardian Council ratified the bill on soil conservation which has been passed by the Majlis (Iranian Parliament) earlier in February, Masoumeh Hosseinpour, director general of department for parliamentary and legal affairs at the Department of Environment (DOE) has announced.

Clunker, diesel cars elimination, gasoline vapor cut effective solutions to curb ozone pollution

TEHRAN – Due to an increased concern about the influence of ozone emissions on human health and on the capital’s air quality, notably gasoline vapor emissions at petrol stations must be reduced, clunker cars should be scrapped and diesel vehicles also have to be discarded, Tehran Air Quality Control Company caretaker said.

Tehran sets record high for wildfires within 2 months

TEHRAN – The highest number of wildfires occurred in the capital during the past two months, as some 15 wildfires were reported in southern part of the city, Jamshid Mohabbat Khani, head of the Department of Environment’s protection unit has stated.

Iran well rid of 153 swarms of desert locusts

TEHRAN – Some 153 swarms of desert locusts from Saudi Arabia which penetrated into the southeastern provinces have been controlled, Esmaeil Najjar, head of Iran’s Crisis Management Organization has said.

Iran observes national environment week

TEHRAN – The national environment week is being observed in the country from June 9-15, a few days after World Environment Day held annually on June 5, Mehr news agency reported on Saturday.

Beat the summer heat in Sarein, the city of magical springs

TEHRAN – For many Iranians, summer vacations are to be started as schools close. Some look to beat the heat at the beach, inside of an air-conditioned hotel or museum or at a water park, while others look to go to a cool rural destination to escape the rising temperatures and humidity altogether.

Dogs’ overpopulation, a major threat to the wildlife

TEHRAN – Majid Kharrazian-Moqaddam, director of the wildlife conservation and management at the Department of Environment, has warned that measures to control stray dogs’ population must be employed, otherwise they will impose threats to the wildlife.

DOE opposes production of diesel cars

TEHRAN – While an Iranian automaker has undertaken a study on manufacturing diesel cars, the Department of Environment (DOE) voiced objection toward production of diesel engines owing to the amount of toxic emissions they produce.

18 densely populated provinces threatened by land subsidence, study reveals

TEHRAN – According to a study carried out by the Transport, Housing and Urban Development Research Center, some 18 densely populated provinces are vastly subsiding and consequently become increasingly vulnerable to flooding and natural incidents as well as bearing huge infrastructure damage.

50bcm of groundwater withdrawn annually in Iran

TEHRAN – An annual amount of 50 billion cubic meters of groundwater resources are withdrawn to supply agricultural, industrial as well as drinking water in Iran, a researcher in the field of water resources has stated.

Locals build bird nests; flocks of storks fly to western Iran

TEHRAN – Locals started to build tens of nests for storks in the western city of Marivan, Kordestan province, which attracted many of the birds to stay during the warm season, IRNA reported.

Female Asiatic lion to join male companion in Iran

TEHRAN – Iran will play host to a female Asiatic lion from Ireland to accompany the recently returned male lion under a population management program aiming at endangered species reproduction by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), a veterinarian at Eram Zoo has said.

Euphrates softshell turtle threatened with extinction in Iran

TEHRAN – Euphrates softshell turtle is endangered in the country mainly due to habitat loss and low precipitation, environmental expert Asghar Mobaraki told YJC on Friday.

140 swarms of desert locusts eradicated in southeastern Iran

TEHRAN – Desert locust breakout contained in 400,000 hectares of lands and some 140 swarms have been eradicated, Esmaeel Najjar, head of Iran’s Crisis Management Organization has said.

Common water hyacinth venders sell carcinogenic

TEHRAN —Eichhornia crassipes, commonly known as common water hyacinth, which is being sold by vendors on the streets are carcinogenic plant species and their trade must be banned.

‘Water level at Lake Urmia unprecedented for the past decade’

TEHRAN — The level of water at Lake Urmia, a body of water located in northwestern Iran, is unprecedented for the past 10 years, an official with West Azarbaijan province’s department of environment has said.

Rare Asiatic cheetah sighted in north-central Iran

TEHRAN – An Asiatic cheetah has been caught on cameras near a watering trough at Khar Turan National Park of Shahroud county located in north-central province of Semnan, YJC reported on Wednesday.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Why DOE consents to construction of dam on Anzali wetland?

TEHRAN – While the Department of Environment (DOE) has issued a construction license for Lask dam on Anzali wetland, counting its advantages, some are still expressing worries: what are the unpredictable effects of building the dam on the region’s ecosystem and are the DOE’s reasons convincing?

Ovine rinderpest kills red deer in northern Iran

TEHRAN — Some 6 red deer lost their lives due to an outbreak of ovine rinderpest, a contagious disease of cattle, sheep, and goats, in Talesh county located in northern Gilan province, ISNA reported on Friday.

Camera traps picture Asiatic cheetah, Persian leopards in Semnan

TEHRAN – An Asiatic cheetah and three Persian leopards have been observed through camera traps in Shahrood county in north central Semnan province, Amir Abdous, the provincial department of environment chief, has announced.

7 Persian fallow deer born in wildlife refuge in northern Iran

TEHRAN — Since the beginning of the current year (March 21), seven Persian fallow deer have been born in Dasht-e Naz wildlife refuge in northern city of Sari, Mazandaran province, Fars news agency reported on Friday.

World's intelligent hunters in a race for survival in Iran

TEHRAN – Foxes, the intelligent hunters who avoid humans, having a limited range in Iran, are endangered due to human encroachment on their habitats and the lack of safety, said Jalil Imani, a biodiversity and ecosystems management expert.