By Faranak Bakhtiari

COVID-19 has given a fillip to biodiversity

TEHRAN – The COVID-19 outbreak caused many problems for the world, but in return gave the planet's environment and biodiversity a chance to breathe. The high mortality rate may be worrisome, but it provided us with the opportunity to think more about how we should treat biodiversity in a better way.

Kavir Biosphere Reserve: a trip to incredible biodiversity hot spot

TEHRAN – The Kavir Biosphere Reserve, located south-east of Tehran, is characterized by salt and sandy lands with arid and semi-arid desert vegetation, and is inhabited by steppe communities, creating incredible biodiversity.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Semnan Habitat where endangered species depend on to survive

TEHRAN – Semnan province, hosting 16 percent of the country’s protected areas and 30 percent of the plant and animal diversity, is considered a refuge for endangered species, such as Asiatic cheetahs and Persian zebras.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

SOS FOR NATURE: biodiversity at unprecedented danger

TEHRAN – The World Wide Fund for Nature has recently published its 2020 Living Planet Report, warning that biodiversity which is fundamental to human life on earth, is being destroyed by us at an unprecedented rate in history.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Environmental features of Iran: take a look at five diverse ecological regions

TEHRAN – Environmental features play a significant role in a land's biodiversity and richness, based on which, Iran shares five ecological zones with specific flora from the lowest to the highest.

DOE draws up plan on biodiversity, habitat protection

TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) has prepared 11 action plans for the conservation of endangered wildlife species, which will soon be implemented.

DOE opens Iran’s richest biodiversity museum

TEHRAN – The richest and most important biodiversity museum of Iran has been set up in the Department of Environment (DOE) after years of efforts and activities of Iranian researchers, IRIB news agency reported.

Unique biodiversity: five snake species endemic to Iran

TEHRAN – Many wildlife species in Iran are unknown to ordinary people. It becomes clear when a video of a spider-tailed horned viper goes viral on social media, and many people wonder whether this strange animal really lives in Iran.

Forest park in Tehran to turn into “ecopark”

TEHRAN – Tehran department of environment will transform Sorkheh Hesar forest park into an ecological park, IRIB news agency reported on Sunday.

Protected areas to be added by 1m ha

TEHRAN – One million hectares of natural lands will be added to the country’s protected areas by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 2021), deputy chief of the Department of Environment (DOE) for natural resources and biodiversity has stated.

By Payam Mohebbi, head of Tehran Pet Hospital

Humans responsible for protecting world's biodiversity

TEHRAN – Perhaps many of us do not know why we should think of a word called biodiversity and want to protect it.

Silent death: Zagros Mountains forest plagued by deforestation, degradation 

TEHRAN — Deforestation and degradation are gravely threating the Zagros Mountains forest and the current trend can seriously harm the ecology of the region and its biodiversity in the near future. 

‘Environmental education must be acquired at earlier ages’

TEHRAN – Environmental education has been included in the country’s school curriculum to prepare students for natural resources and environment protection, while it needs to be more efficient and acquired at earlier ages to make favorable cognitive and behavioral changes in the students, Mehr news agency reported on Sunday.