Iran wildlife refuge home to Asiatic cheetah

Touran Wildlife Refuge, a national park in Iran's Semnan Province, is home to one of the largest populations of the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah.

The refuge, inscribed on the UNESCO tentative lists as Touran Biosphere Reserve, is Iran's largest protected area and home to 20 distinct animal species.

In the protected area, four Asiatic cheetahs are housed at a reproduction facility, while 16 are kept in captivity.

Asiatic cheetahs are the rarest and most endangered subspecies of cheetahs, with only a few hundred individuals remaining in the wild. The Touran Wildlife Refuge provides an essential habitat for these animals and works to protect and conserve the population.

Here are some photos showing this critically endangered animal in the biosphere reserve.

AG/AG