TEHRAN--A gazelle breeding site in Cheshmeh Gol village, Torbat-e Jam county, Khorasan Razavi province, is turning into a tourist site in close cooperation with the Department of Environment. 

Head of Torbat-e Jam Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department Faramarz Saber-Moqaddam told Mehr news agency that one of the main goals of this site has been the revival of the endangered species, but the natural situation of the region indicates that it is a tourist site and can be considered a tourism attraction.

He said this site is located 15 kilometers off Torbat-e Jam and five hundred meters of Cheshmeh Gol village.

Currently, university student groups enter the site for conducting research, he pointed out.

Saber-Moqaddam emphasized that given the existence of over 150 gazelles in an area 19 hectares and a site of 2,000 hectares, the coordination has been made with Torbat-e Jam Department of Environment. This site has the capacity for holding tours to visit the natural habitat of gazelles, he added.

He reiterated that any visit to the site should be coordinated with Department of Environment.

One of the top priorities of the DOE is safeguarding wildlife species by placing strong emphasis on public participation, as well. Agreements signed with various private sectors have resulted in an increase in the population of these species.

Breeding endangered animals in captivity or breeding centers under the supervision of the DOE primarily aims to ensure population increase which will definitely impact the animals' population in wildlife once they are released in their habitats.

Currently, 105 breeding centers for valuable wildlife species including cheetahs, zebras, rams, and sheep are operating across the country. A total of 32 species are managed by the DOE and 73 are run by private sectors.

The main task of the DOE is to preserve species in nature and their original habitat, but factors such as development and land use change have destroyed and insularized their habitats and reduced the number of prey, the official stated.

Consequently, species such as cheetah, Persian yellow deer, and zebra are in danger of extinction, so the DOE has established breeding centers to prevent the loss of valuable animal genes by protecting the species.

More than 8,000, 2,000, and 25,000 species of plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates, respectively, show Iran's rich biodiversity and the importance of its preservation.

Wildlife conservation, which includes protecting all living things on the planet, plant, and animal species, and microorganisms, means preserving the components of a large network, wherein all the components are interconnected and depend on each other in different ways.

People everywhere rely on wildlife and biodiversity-based resources to meet their needs - from food, to fuel, medicines, housing, and clothing. By saving wildlife we protect all forms of life on the planet, ourselves, and ultimately maintain the balance of life on the earth.

There are many threats to endangered wildlife species, including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and birds.

Habitat destruction, fragmentation, and modification caused by human-led activities such as industrial and residential development, logging, crop farming, livestock grazing, mining, road and dam building, and pesticide use have taken an extreme toll on threatened and endangered wildlife populations at an alarming rate.

Currently, about 128 species of animals and vertebrates in the country are at risk of extinction, some of which are not in good condition, and amphibians are the most vulnerable in this area.

KD