TEHRAN (Mehr News Agency) -- A total of 4281 local and foreign tourists visited nature reserves of Semnan Province during the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (Started March 21, 2003), Mohammad-Reza Roshanzamir director-general of Semnan Department of the Environment said here on Saturday.

According to him, 64 tourists were from the U.S., Sweden, Germany and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Roshanzamir said that the tourists have come here to visit Semnan Kavir National Park and the nature reserves of Turan, Khosh Yeylaq and Parvar.

He emphasized that Parvar nature reserve has been mostly visited by Iranian tourists while Kavir National Park has been preferred by foreign tourists.

Tourists like to know more about the nature of the region and study the rare, unique and special plant and animal species such as Asian zebras and ravens, Roshanzamir said.

He went on to say that Semnan Province’s nature reserves, covering a total area of 2,281,500 hectares, house rare animal species such as leopards, Asian zebras and bustards.

Nearly 27 percent of the country’s nature reserves are located in Semnan, ranking first in the country. SN/SRM