One of the recent reports (sent to WCHV) from Iran indicates that Persian yellow deer held and bred in a protected environment have been at risk due to intruders who recently killed an animal at one of these sites.

Different species of Persian deer have been declared endangered and as a result selected habitats and parks have been allocated to breed Persian deer in captivity but it seems that the animals are not even safe there.

These protected areas are fenced to keep wolves and other predators out and it seems that in this case, the preventive measures were not enough to keep the deer safe.

Environmental activists say that the incident actually happened at Tehran’s Pardisan Park and adjacent to the Department of Environment building. The deer was about 6 years old and X-rays showed that three bullets had hit the animal’s neck, causing his death. The environmental experts also point out that this type of killing is not for hunting purposes and these individuals are obviously just after killing the animals brutally.

Persian yellow deer is one of the 74 animals in Iran that have been on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

It has been reported recently that the Chinese technicians working on the South Pars Gas Field are eating the turtles that have been listed as endangered species in Iran. The report on the Iranian TV which shows the turtles being prepared and cooked shows this small species of turtle.  Further research is required to find out if the Chinese technicians and workers are aware of the fact that these turtles are listed as endangered species by international organization or if they have been given any warnings by the Iranian authorities.

Several species of Iranian turtles have been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is illegal to collect, harm or kill any of the species on the endangered list- The Red List, and most countries around the world have regulations and guidelines against any one or groups causing harm to these endangered species. IUCN continues to list many such species in its Red List and advises countries on the preservation.

In Southern Iran, the shorelines span over 1800 km across the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea with many sites where different species of turtles exist.  Several small and big islands in the Persian Gulf with coastline of about 600 km are also home to several species of turtles.

I remember reading somewhere last year (for the sake of giving the right credit, I think it was a life style magazine) about a couple of British men who were supposedly taking a walking tour in Uganda and by mistake wondered into a Congolese farm where they were chased by a knife-wielding farmer.

The adventure tourism or tourism in the war and conflict zones has become more and more popular over the last few years. Therefore, creating some new discussions about the balance between allowing (or taking) tourists to these troubled parts of the world and making sure tourists are safe.

The most recent news from Egypt that a tourist bus had exploded killing 4 people and injuring 14 in the Egyptian resort town of Taba, (as reported by CNN) has again raised the same questions. The tourist bus reportedly carried 33 tourists from South Korea who had visited the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St. Catherine’s, in the Sinai Peninsula. The bus was headed to Israel and was waiting in line near a border crossing. A jihadist group has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

The Egyptian revolution that toppled President Hosni Mubarak in 2011 has also greatly impacted the tourism industry in Egypt which has always been a great source of revenues for the country. While the Egyptian government has continuously stated that the country is taking safety measures to protect tourists, the safety concerns still remain. Adventure tourism and traveling to conflict zones is a growing business area. The sector includes everything from climbing Mount Everest to visiting conflict areas like Syria, and Afghanistan, is growing by over 15% each year and is worth $billions.

The other factor which is really important in making sure tourists are safe even if the trip is not to a war and conflict zone is “personal safety”. India which has always been a favorite tourist destination has in the last two years experienced very high rates of rapes of tourists (as well as local women who have been raped in several incidences as reported by the international news agencies). Even though the news have not deterred tourists from visiting the country, it is very important for tour agencies, tour guides and local and national officials to create better awareness programs for international tourists. For example the U.S. state department always has warning guidelines for American tourists and American citizens can check these warnings (on the countries they are traveling to) on the U.S. department’s website. In addition, it is important for tourists to clearly follow the instructions given to them by the tourists’ agencies, embassies and in most cases not to wonder through areas where their safety is not guaranteed

Iran’s Museums and Historical Properties Office is further evaluating the possibility of installing a replica of Cyrus Cylinder in the Netherlands. This will be in collaboration with the British Museum in London.

The Hague is the seat of the Dutch government and parliament, the Supreme Court, and the Council of State. It is also the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

The Cyrus Cylinder is an iconic ancient Persian World Heritage object which is housed in the British Museum.

The 2,500-year-old inscribed cylinder is known as the world’s first human rights charter. The inscription on the cylinder, which is in the earliest form of writing-Babylonian cuneiform, was made on the clay artifact with an account by Cyrus the Great, the King of Persia (600 or 576 BC-530 BC).

The Achaemenid artifact was found in Babylon, (today’s Iraq) during excavations in 1879, and has been housed in the British Museum ever since. The relic was temporarily given to Iran’s National Museum on loan in 2010-2011.  The Cylinder was also on a tour (Cyrus Cylinder US Tour 2013) in the U.S. from April to December 2013 through a partnership between Iran Heritage Foundation America, the British Museum, and the Smithsonian’s Sackler Gallery.

The Persian leopard (Panthera pardus ciscaucasica syn. Panthera pardus saxicolor), also called Caucasian leopard, is the largest leopard subspecies, and is native to northern Iran, as well as eastern Turkey, the Caucasus mountains, southern Turkmenistan, and parts of western Afghanistan. It is endangered throughout its range with an estimated 500 to 700 leopards believed to be found in Iran.

In the past 10 months it has been reported that eleven leopards have been killed and another one was paralyzed in Iran. Prior to this recent trend, two of four members of Iranian big cat family became extinct including Caspian tiger (Panthera tigris virgata) and Asiatic lion ((Panthera leo persica). Persian Leopard is on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) endangered list.

In Iran, primary threats include: a) habitat disturbances caused by constructing new roads and factories, or presence of military and training of troops in border habitat areas; b) illegal hunting and/or poaching; c) habitat loss due to deforestation, fire, agricultural expansion, overgrazing, and infrastructure development; and  d) depletion of their prey.  Other factors are road accidents, or (the leopards) being killed by peasants and guardian dogs.

The leopards’ chances for survival outside protected areas are very slim. Intensive dry conditions in wide areas of leopard habitats in recent years are affecting leopard main prey species such as wild goat and wild sheep.Recent reports and evaluations of conditions by the environmentalists on the Persian leopard mortality rate in Iran have revealed that 70% of leopard mortalities from 2007-2011 were as a result of illegal hunting or poisoning and 18% were because of road accidents. Even though, the anti-poaching laws and fines in Iran include a fine of $1600 for killing a leopard, it cannot compete with the global market prices (and demand) for leopard skin which is over $10,000 (each). Therefore, more restrictive regulations and monitoring are needed in Iran, in order to stop this growing threat.

In addition, Asiatic cheetah is another member of big cat family in Iran which is near extinction and is currently on the endangered list.