Description

Northern Iran and the surrounding border nations are strongholds for the endangered Persian leopard. But human population and industry have increased in these areas and so has conflict with leopards. The leopards face various threats but none as lethal as the interruption of their range by encroaching local people as they clear the land for farming.

Only some of the Persian leopard land falls in protected conservation zones. In the unprotected areas the land is becoming increasingly over used and broken up making it impossible for leopards to move around safely and exposing them to retaliatory hunting when they prey on livestock. The loss of these natural wildlife corridors means leopard populations are becoming too isolated and small to ensure the viability of future generations. With an estimated population of less than 1,300 we need to act fast.

Accurate up-to-date maps of leopards, and assessments of the numbers of prey species, are desperately needed to work out where suitably sheltered land needs to be reconnected to save this iconic species. This will enable the Iranian government and other organisations to alter the landscape and link up the last remaining leopards whilst protecting the livelihood of locals.

Your Gift of Nature will pay for camera traps, observation teams, questionnaires, and computer programmes needed to join the dots for Persian leopards.

For each Gift of Nature you buy, we will send you a greeting card explaining your chosen conservation project with a space for you to write your own message.

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