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Sanei, A.; Mousavi, M.; Mousivand, M.; Zakaria, M.
Assessment of the Persian Leopard Mortality Rate in Iran
2012  Conference Proceeding

Persian leopard (_Panthera pardus saxicolor_) mortalities were recorded in 31 provinces of Iran while a national survey was undertaken to assess current status of the leopard in the country. Questionnaires were frequently sent out to the provincial offices of the department of Environment in each province from 2007 to 2011. Interviews with hunters and local knowledgeable people were done across the country while 70% of them (n=50) were as a result of international poisoning and hunting of the specimens. Furthermore, 13 cases of road kills were recorded which most of them were taken place in Golestan province, Northern Iran. Mortalities as a result of human factors, direct shooting and poisoning of the species had a high rate of 9 individuals in Lorestan province in the recent years. In the meantime, habitat destructions and lack of prey sufficiency in various parts of leopard times. Enforcement of compensation programs to recoup for actual losses inflicted by leopards, informing local villagers and shepherds about this program and increasing amount of the fines for illegal hunting of leopards and their preys (i.e. wild goat _Capra aegagrus_ and wild sheep _Ovis oreintalis_) may effectively reduce revenge killings. Since majority of the Persian leopard population in the Middle East inhabits in Iran which also supports species viability in the neighbouring countries, implementing research-based and prioritized conservation programs to protect the species in its current range in the country is essential.

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