|
Persian Gazelle
The farmers remain willing to cooperate, but their patience is
obviously wearing thin.
Cooperation from villagers has been essential to protection of
wildlife in Mehdi-Abad. If that cooperation is lost, the devastation
of wildlife sweeping most parts of this nation could still happen
here.
Protecting wildlife here means more than watching out for poachers,
it means providing water supplies to sustain animals through the
droughts, he said.
Iran safari
GREAT BUSTARD Otis tarda is a globally threatened species
classified as vulnerable (Collar et al. 1994). In Iran, the species
occurs in the west of the country, from the northern provinces to
Kermanshah in the centre-west. Habitat destruction and hunting have
caused a sharp decline in recent decades. The Department of the
Environment (DOE) declared the Great Bustard a protected species in
1967, banning hunting throughout Iran. Following the introduction of
strict hunting controls and conservation measures by the DOE in
recent years, the Great Bustard population is now stable.
Iran cultural tour and safari, Iran cultural tour, Iran cultural
safari, Iran hunting tour, Iran hunting safari, Iran cultural tour
package, Iran cultural, culture of Iran, culture tour, culture
safari, culture and hunting trip, culture Iran, Iran safari, Iran,
culture, Iranjasminsafarico, Iranjasminsafari Iran tour, tour to
Iran, cultural, Iran hunting and cultural tour and safari, cultural
tour, culture tour and hunting safari, Iran, Tour
In 1971-1978, several surveys were undertaken by the DOE: Scott
(1971) estimated 40-100 breeding females in west Iran; A. Eftekhar
found 123 birds wintering in east and north-east Iran in 1973;
Razdan & Mansoori (1989) 124 wintering in east Iran in 1976;
Cornwallis (1983) and E. Kahrom estimated just 40 breeding females
in west Iran in 1977; but Kahrom (1979), in an aerial survey in
1978, estimated c. 80-120 breeding females in the same area and c.
200-250 winter visitors in the east and north-east of the country.
The present study (1990-1994) visited most potential Great Bustard
habitats in Iran, and therefore, attempts a more complete appraisal
of the current status of the species in the country.
METHODS
Great Bustard is known from six provinces in Iran. In undertaking
the present survey, a biologist and several game guards in each
province assisted me by making weekly visits to the most important
sites. In addition, I made monthly trips to each of these areas.
Each site was covered twice on each visit: once in early morning and
once in late afternoon, when the birds are most active. Nests were
discovered by careful observation of females. All population
estimates were made on the basis of direct censuses, using line
transects and roadside counts with binoculars and a telescope. No
aerial surveys were made. A fresh corpse, probably killed by a
predator, was analysed and the contents of its crop sent to the Bou-Ali
university laboratory to determine its diet.
DISTRIBUTION, MIGRATION AND POPULATION
The species occurs in large areas of undulating steppe, most of
which is cultivated in the west of the country (34o12'-37o58'N and
45o00'-48o07'E), at 500-2100 metres above sea-l evel. Previous
studies had demonstrated that Great Bustard occurred in the west,
east and north-east of the country. In undertaking this project, I
concentrated on those areas that were known to be most important.
1. east and north-east Iran
Known wintering area. The birds probably originate from breeding
areas in the former Soviet Union. They arrive in December and depart
in March. I and my colleagues were unable to find any birds,
although a population of 200-250 wintered in these areas in the
1970s.
Safari to Iran (Tehran-
Shiraz-Mashad)
Safari to Iran (Tehran-Goosfandsara)
Safari to Iran (Tehran-Yazd- Kerman)
Safari to Iran (Kashan- Isfahan-
Khor)
Safari to Iran (Rineh- Damavand)
Safari to Iran (Tehran- Rineh)
Safari to Iran (Tehran- Damavand)
Safari to Iran (Isfahan- Shiraz-
Tehran)
Safari to Iran (Mashad- Yazd-
Isfahan)
Tour Summary (Tehran- Shiraz)
Tour Summary (Tabriz, Hamedan)
Tour Summary (Kerman, Isfahan)
Yazd
Cities of Iran
Home
About Iran
Perspolis Tour
Pasargade tour
Safari to Bishapur - Iran
Safari Photo Gallery
Iran Photo safari 1
Iran Photo safari 2
Iran Photo safari 3
Iran Photo safari 4
Iran Photo safari 5
Iran Photo safari 6
Persian Fallow Deer
Shiraz
Isfahan
Itineraries
Wild Boar
Kerman
Mashad
Tehran
Hunting with buckhound
Hunting Gazelle in Iran
Wild Boar Hunting in Iran
Tour Summary (Hamadan, Ahvaz)
Tour Summary (Kashan, Yazd)
Tour Summary (Kerman, Shiraz)
Persian Gazelle hunting in Iran
Safari to Mehdi-Abad Iran for hunting
Hamedan
Old Itineraries
water supplying for gazelles in Iran
Tour Summary (Ahvaz, Isfahan)
safari services
Iran safari Hunt Racing
Fallow Deer in Iran
Tour to Damavand Mountain
Damavand Mountain Climbing
Why Iran Safari
contact to Iran safari
First Persian Deer Hunting
Iran safari 1
Iran safari map
Wild Boar A ancient Stories in Iran
Iran safari 2
Iran safari itineraries
Royal Hunting Buckhound
Iran safari 3
contact to iranjasminco
Hunting Wild Boar in Iran
Iran safari 4
Iran safari 21
Persian Wild Boar Hunting in Iran
Iran safari 5
Iran safari 22
Iran climate and weather
Iran safari 6
Iran safari 23
Iran forest and jungles for hunting
Iran safari 7
Iran safari 24
Iran bird shooting forests
Iran hunting photo safari
Iran safari 25
Iran safari 8
Iran safari 9
Iran safari 26
Iran hunting photo safari
Iran safari 10
Iran safari 27
Iran hunting photo safari
Iran safari 11
Iran safari 28
Iran hunting photo safari
Iran safari 12
Iran safari 29
Iran hunting photo safari
Iran safari 30
Iran safari 13
Iran hunting photo safari
Iran safari 14
Iran safari 15
Iran safari 16
Iran safari 17
Iran safari 18
Iran safari 19
Iran safari 20
Iran safari 31
Iran safari 32
Iran safari 33
Iran safari 34
Iran safari 35
Iran safari 36
Iran Safari 37
Iran safari 38
Iran safari 39
Iran safari 40
Iran safari 41
Iran safari 42
Iran safari 43
Iran safari 44
Iran safari 45
Iran safari 46
Iran safari 48
Iran safari 49
Iran safari 50
Iran safari 51
Iran safari 52
Iran safari 53
Iran safari 54
Iran safari 55
Iran safari 56
Iran safari 57
Iran safari 58
Iran safari 59
Iran safari 60
Iran safari 61
Iran safari 62
Iran safari 63
Iran safari 64
Iran safari 65
2. west Iran:
Twenty-one suitable areas in five provinces were identified: seven
in west Azerbaijan, one in east Azerbaijan, five in Kordestan, seven
in Kermanshah, and one in Hamadan province. A small number survive
in a handful of additional areas omitted from the present survey due
to their physical remoteness. In some areas, the species is
resident, but only ten are suitable for breeding. In severe winters,
some move south to e.g. the low-lying plains of Zohab and Gandomban,
in Kermanshah. It is probable that some also move to adjacent areas
in Iraq and Syria.
The most important areas, supporting the largest population are in
west Azerbaijan and Kordestan: Sootav plain, Behie-e-Bukan,
Zarrineh-Oubatoo and Ghareh-Gheshlagh prohibited hunting region.
Winter visitors from adjacent countries arrive in September. It is
estimated that there at least 60 breeding females in west Iran. The
wintering population is c. 200-300 birds. Although the size of the
winter population fluctuates, it appears that numbers in west Iran
have remained virtually stable since 1970.
Previous surveys, prior to 1978, found 12 localities in the west of
the country for Great Bustard. A total of 21 areas with populations
of the species was located as a result of the present survey, but
five of the original 12 sites certainly no longer hold birds and at
another four important sites, the populations have decreased
sharply.
Most of the localities held birds in autumn and eight probably only
held passage birds. Breeding birds were located in ten areas and two
new wintering sites were discovered.
In west Iran, the species breeds in remote cultivated areas subject
to little disturbance. Wheat is the main crop, but pea, barley,
alfalfa and sunflower are also grown. Nests are usually placed in
dry wheat fields. During the survey, three nests were found in 1993:
one contained three eggs, another two eggs and a shell, and the
third had two eggs.
|
