Herders practice ancestral occupation

Cattle herders in UNESCO-inscribed Hyrcanian Forests in northern Iran have been practicing their ancestral occupation for centuries.

Such herders are called 'Galesh' in the local dialect, moving their cattle to the mountains in the spring and to the plains in the fall every year.

 This traditional occupation is passed down from generation to generation and is an important part of their culture and heritage.

This cycle of migration is an important part of the community's way of life.

The Hyrcanian Forests World Heritage property is situated in Iran, within the Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests ecoregion. 

It stretches 850 km along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea.

AG/AG