In an exclusive interview with the English-language newspaper 'Iran Daily', Kahrom added that the cheetah will be preserved for the next generations as a symbol of Iranian land.
Explaining the characteristics of the Iranian cheetah compared to those of other predators, Kahrom told the daily that the animal is feline with the body of a dog and a cat-like head, and runs faster than any other land animal. Its teeth are small compared to tiger, which has eight-centimeter teeth or leopard that has six-centimeter teeth.
The cheetah has large passages inside its nose, which help it breathe better and smell better while running.
Rulers and kings used to tame cheetah like a dog for hunting gazelle, he added.
Responding to the daily's question as to how one can identify the Persian cheetah from the African species, Kahrom said that the Persian cheetah has tear lines running from each eye to the mouth, unlike the African cheetah which does not have such a line. On the other hand, the Persian cheetah’s tail is black at the bottom. It has ticker spots.
On reasons why the species have become extinct in other parts, except Iran, Kahrom said that in addition to Iran, this precious species existed in India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and even North Africa in the past. But due to its abundance in Asia, it came to be known as the Asiatic cheetah. However, the species gradually disappeared from Asian habitats, except Iran.
Since Iran is the only habitat of this species, it is called Persian cheetah.
Overhunting and loss of habitat are major factors behind its extinction from other regions, he said, adding that this wild animal usually lives in habitats that have no human settlement.
The cheetah’s habitat is flat desert. Therefore, the animal faces less restriction when it runs fast.
But the sudden increase of human population in India led to people’s encroachment on the cheetah’s habitat. So, the species became extinct in India, he said.
Describing ways on how the cheetah hunts, Kahrom said that this wild animal lurks in a corner and approaches its prey by treading softly and then hunts the prey quickly. The Cheetah holds its prey, suffocates it with a throat clamp and then eats it.
The species’ record for speed is 110 km. But the cheetah does not need to run so fast since its prey, gazelle, runs at a speed of 70 km per hour, he said.
Responding to the daily's question on the cheetah's diffusion rate in Iran, he explained that 20 cheetah habitats exist in Iran in places such as Khartouran Desert in Semnan province, Naibandan in South Khorasan and Dasht-e Kavir (central desert) of Iran.
The central province of Yazd is one of the major habitats of Persian cheetah. It also inhabits regions surrounding Bafq and Darreh Anjil, he said, noting that the Iranian cheetah also lives in southeastern regions along the borders with Pakistan.
No precise cheetah census has been taken in Iran, he noted, adding that some experts however estimate the number of Persian cheetahs to 50-70. But given the number of cheetah’s footprints and feces as well as pictures, Kahrom said he thinks believes the number exceeds 150.
If the number is lower, nobody can easily sight them, because cheetahs hide themselves from prey and other predators.
On whether Kahrom considers the number of cheetahs adequate for reproduction, he told the daily: "If we even estimate their numbers to be 150, it is not enough for proper genetic mixing. Therefore, the number should rise to 2,000.
Also, the habitats of Persian cheetah are far from each other.
There are 5-10 cheetahs in every habitat. This is an obstacle to their proper genetic mixture.
On the threats facing the Persian cheetah, he said that the main prey of the cheetah is the deer, which lives in plains and deserts. Many plains have been used by shepherds for sheep grazing in recent years and the numbers of deer have decreased. Hence, cheetahs go to elevated areas and hunt rams and goats, he said.
This has created threats because they may be killed by shepherd dogs. On the other hand, they may enter the leopard’s habitats and could be killed by them, he said.
When asked by the daily whether the cheetah attacks humans and why the cheetah is unable to confront dogs and leopards, Kahrom said, a cheetah never attacks human beings. Since it has a small body with average weigh of 40 kg, it cannot defeat dogs and leopards.
In reply to a question by the dialy on what he thinks, as an environtalist, about the use of cheetah’s image by the Iranian soccer players in the 2014 World Cup, Kahrom said that the image will improve public awareness about the importance of preserving the Persian cheetah. The measure has caused the world to know the status of cheetah in the wildlife of Iran and the world.
On ways of what should be done for the Persian cheetah not to face a fate similar to that of the Iranian lion and tiger, he said he believes that the Persian cheetah will not face such a fate. The Iranian lion was last spotted in 1945 and the Mazandaran tiger has not been sighted since 1943.
In the past, wild animals were regarded as a nuisance and intruder. Currently, people are eager to preserve these species. So, the Persian cheetah is luckier than the Iranian lion and Mazandaran tiger, he said.
He concluded by saying that the culture of preserving the Persian cheetah should be promoted, particularly near their habitats./end
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Tehran, April 12, IRNA - Esmaiel Kahrom, a zoologist and environmental expert, believes that the Iranian cheetah will not face the same fate as the Iranian lion and tiger.
