DOE Plans to Protect Endangered Animals

The Department of Environment has prepared comprehensive plans to protect six endangered species in Iran.

Iran is home to 74 threatened and endangered species, and the goal is to devise plans for each one of them.

“We’ve supplied provincial offices [of the DOE] with these plans, which include short-, medium- and long-term measures,” said Majid Kharrazian Moqaddam, the director of Wildlife Office at the department, ISNA reported.

The devised plans cover six species, namely the mugger crocodile, Persian fallow deer, great bustard, lesser white-fronted goose, brown bear and Asian black bear.

He called on the provincial branches of DOE to “use their maximum capacity” to implement the plans and urged officials to communicate the directives to all related local entities.

“Barring financial setbacks, around 10 more directives will be prepared by the end of the next Iranian year [ends March 20, 2018],” Moqaddam said.

The Asiatic cheetah, Persian leopard, Bactrian camel, caracal, Siberian crane and Pallas’s cat are among other species on the verge of extinction due to loss of habitat, road accidents, poaching and dwindling sources of food.

Insurance coverage, preparation of protection plans, establishment of protected areas and allocation of sufficient funds for saving these rare animals are among key measures taken by the DOE.