مهار بيابان‌زايي

Fact-Finding Mission 

Conservation of the Asiatic Cheetah, Its Natural Habitat, and Associated Biota in the Independent Republic of Iran

Peter Zahler

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BACKGROUND  3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  4

MISSION ITINERARY  5

OVERVIEW OF ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE  9

PROJECT PROGRESS TO DATE 10

ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE 11

FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS 12

MISSION RECOMMENDATIONS 13

PROTECTION OF THE CHEETAH AND ITS HABITAT IN IRAN 13

1. Protection of Habitat – Grazing 13

2. Enforcement 13

3. Guards and Equipment 14

4. Long-Term Contracts 14

5. Public Awareness 15

DATA COLLECTION 15

1.  Cheetah Camera Trap Surveys 16

2. Gazelle Transect Surveys 17

3. Point Count Surveys for Wild Goats and Sheep 17

4. Water Source and Vegetation Surveys 17

THE SOCIAL DIMENSION 18

1. Socio-economic Surveys 18

2. Collaborative Management 18

3. Outreach/Conservation Education 19

INCEPTION MISSION 20

1. Inception Mission 20

2. Inception Workshop 20

OTHER ISSUES 21

1. Protected Area Borders 21

2. Project Workplans 21

3. Ministerial and Interministerial Cooperation 22

4. Communication 22

5. International Attention/Publications 23

6. Shir Ahmad 23

7. Cloning 25

8. Future Support 25

APPENDIX 1 27

APPENDIX 2 29

BACKGROUND

The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) may be a classic case of a large carnivore species that is slowly but surely being driven to extinction through fragmentation and the elimination of isolated subpopulations. Cheetah populations have been reduced world-wide from over 100,000 in 44 countries to below 15,000 in 27 countries. The only remaining country outside of Africa containing a wild population of cheetahs is Iran, where it is listed as critically endangered. 

At the present time the entire population of cheetahs remaining in Asia (A. jubatus venaticus) appears to exist within the Dasht-e-Kavir, or Kavir Desert region, of north-central Iran. While cheetah populations in Iran were estimated as high as 200 in the 1970s, recent estimates place the number at around 50. However, these numbers are not based on any substantive or replicable field surveys and are closer to “best guesses” than true estimates. 

Because of the critical nature of the Asiatic cheetah’s status and the almost total lack of information concerning this species, a UNDP-GEF project was developed in conjunction with Iran’s Department of Environment (DOE) entitled Conservation of the Asiatic Cheetah, Its Natural Habitat, and Associated Biota in the Independent Republic of Iran (IRA/01/G31).

Recently, UNDP-GEF identified Peter Zahler as a candidate for Chief Technical Advisor on the Project. The following report documents Mr. Zahler’s mission to Iran to determine the status and needs of the Project. Activities included determining data collection efforts to date; ensuring that the Project is moving forward in an appropriate manner; providing guidance when and if necessary; visiting field sites to determine appropriateness of methodologies; determining future needs of the Project; and ensuring that data and information will be centrally collected and analysed for the upcoming Workshop tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2003. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This mission could not have occurred without the hard work and assistance from an enormous number of people. Special thanks must go to Mr. Medhi Kamyab of UNDP for his help in arranging and carrying out the mission. Special thanks must also go to Mr. Ali Reza Jourabchian, Project Manager and Mr. Behzad Rahgoshai, Deputy Manager for their kindness, hospitality, and assistance throughout the mission. Mr. Hooman Joukar, Mr. Mansoor Atarodi, and Ms. Solmaz Pahlavanzadeh of the Project were extremely kind and helpful throughout the mission.  I would also like to thank the Protected Area staff and game guards who so kindly showed us hospitality, kindness, and friendship despite the many demands this mission placed upon them. Lastly I would like to extend my appreciation to the people of the Independent Republic of Iran, whose warmth and generosity made this mission a truly enjoyable experience. 

MISSION ITINERARY

15 January

Arrive Tehran at 2:00 am, met by Mr. Ali Reza Jourabchian, Mr. Behzad Rahgoshai, Mr. Mohammed Farhadinia, Mr. Kaveh Hatami and Mr. Eslami. Travel to hotel, discuss upcoming schedule.

Rest, review materials.

Evening meeting with Mr. Mehdi Kamyab and Ali Jourabchian to discuss project goals and plans.

16 January

Leave Tehran with Ali Jourabchian, Behzad Rahgoshai, Mr. Mansoor Ataroodi, Mohammed Farhadinia.

Travel to Kavir National Park DOE station.

Meeting with Mr. Adibi and game guards Mr. Akbar Mohammadi, Mr. Manochehr Arab Amini to discuss protected area, cheetahs, guard activities, Project efforts and goals.

17 January

Travel to Siakoh in Kavir NP for field trip. 

Visit Kavir field sites.

Meeting with Kavir staff to discuss Project efforts to date and future plans.

Meeting with Director General of DOE in Semnan, Mr. Rhoshanzamir.

Travel to Kasaein Hotel, dinner and meeting with Mr. Khasian, owner of hotel and major land and livestock owner, to discuss potential collaborative activities.

18 January

Travel to Khartouran National Park main DOE station. 

Meeting with Mr. Ajami, Reserve Chief, and Mr. Aminian, Mr. Cheraghi, Mr. Khani, Mr. Najafi, Mr. Esmaili, and Mr. Valian, game guards.

Visit Khartouran field sites.

Meeting with Mr. Rezaifar, DOE Deputy Director, Semnan Province. Stay at Delbar Post Station.

19 January

Visit Khartouran Protected Area field sites. 

Leave for Shir Ahmad Protected Area; Ali Jourabchian and Mohammed Farhadinia leave for Tehran.

Meeting with Mr. Jalali, Shir Ahmad Reserve Chief, and Mr. Kalatei, Mr. Abereshi, Mr. Jolainy, game guards. 

Stay at Shir Ahmad Post Station.

20 January

Meeting with Mr. Jalali. 

Visit Shir Ahmad Protected Area field sites, including jebeer gazelle breeding facility.

Travel to Tabas, stay at Tabas Hotel.

Meeting with Mr. Bahman Najafi, Reserve Chief for Naybandan WR, and Mr. Gazanfari, Head of DoE Office in Tabas.

21 January

Meet with government officials in Tabas, then leave for and visit Naybandan Wildlife Refuge.

Meet protected area staff, stay at Aliabad Post Station.

22 January

All day field trips to visit Naybandan Wildlife Refuge sites.

Meetings with protected area staff, stay at Aliabad Post Station.

23 January

Visit sites in Naybandan Wildlife Refuge, travel to Kalezard/Kamarmahdi Station, Naybandan. 

Meeting with Mr. Najafi and Mr. Ahmad Firooz Abadi, Mr. Ali Reza Azad, Mr. Ali Golamian, and Mr. Barat, game guards.

Stay overnight in Florin Guesthouse.

24 January

Travel from Naybandan to the town of Kharanagh. 

Meet with Mr. Molai, Reserve Chief of Daranjir. 

Continue on to Yazd, stay at DoE office in Yazd, meet DoE staff.

Meeting with Mr. Hosseini, Director General of Yazd DoE and Mr. Hamadanian, Deputy of DoE Yazd.

25 January

Meet  with Mr. Frank Pinto, Executive Coordinator of UNDP-GEF, Mr. Siba Kumar Das, UNEP Resident Representative, Philippe Devaud, UNDP, and Medhi Kamyab. 

Travel to Daranjir Wildlife Refuge, visit DoE station and field sites. 

Return to Yazd, stay at DoE office, meet with staff.

26 January

Leave Yazd, travel to Bafq DoE office. 

Meet with Bafq Governor, Deputy Governor, Mr. Karimi, Bafq Reserve Chief.

Travel to Bafq Protected Area, visit DoE station. 

Return to Bafq, stay at DoE office, meet with protected Area staff.

27 January

Travel to Bafq Protected Area with Mr. Ali Khajeh, Game Guard.

Return to Bafq DoE office, drive to Yazd.

Meet with DG.

Travel by plane from Yazd to Tehran.

28 January

29 January

Meetings with CACP staff in Tehran office, including Mr. Jourabchian, Mr. Rahgoshai, Mr. Jowkar, Mr. Atouridi, and Ms. Solmaz Pahlayanzadeh.

Meeting with DoE GIS lab, including Mr. Arash Bahmanpour, Mr. Ali Bali, Mr. Abolfazl Ranjbar, and Mr. Hussein Moradi. View powerpoint presentation, Arcview efforts to date. Discuss collaborative efforts with CACP, future plans.

30 January

Review notes, rest, visit Tehran sights with Behzad Rahgoshai, Houman Jowkar.

Afternoon meeting with ICS staff Mohammad Farhadinia, Kaveh Hatami and Morteza Eslami to discuss activities to date, future efforts, collaboration with the Project, and funding needs.

Dinner meeting with Behzad Rahgoshai.

31 January

Flight postponed due to weather (UK).

Dinner meeting with Ali Jourabchian, Behzad Rahgoshai.

1 February

Depart Tehran 8:25 am, return to New York.

OVERVIEW OF ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE

The Cheetah Project consists of five staff members: Ali Reza Jourabchian, Manager; Behzad Rahgoshai, Deputy Manager; Mansoor Atouradi, Houman Jowkar, and Ms. Sonlam Pahlayanzadeh. Most of the staff, with the exception of the recently hired Mr. Jowkar, have been with the Project since it inception or near to then, and without exception all staff members appear strongly motivated and willing to work hard, including in the field, to ensure the conservation of the Asiatic cheetah. I was greatly impressed with their interest, knowledge, and activities to date, and believe that with the proper guidance the project will be able to move forward in a timely and productive manner to reach its goals. However, as stated below, there is a need for certain activities to be started or completed as soon as possible to ensure that the project remains on course, and there may also be a need for additional staff as determined by future needs  (for example, an education/outreach specialist, a data manager).

The Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS) is an Iranian, non-profit NGO established in August of 2001 that has been working to save the Asiatic cheetah in Iran. ICS was founded by three young enthusiastic students, Mohammad Farhadinia (director), Kaveh Hatami and Morteza Eslami. The NGO is based in Tehran and has 186 members from all around the country; a membership fee is usually charged, but not in the case of community members found near or in the protected areas of the Project (for example, 57 people from Naybandan village are members with no fee). A list of successful projects performed by ICS in the year and a half of the NGO’s activity can be found in Appendix 2. This NGO has committed, enthusiastic and quite well-trained members, and I was convinced that they can play a continued and productive role in cheetah conservation, both within and outside of the Project’s planned activities.

PROJECT PROGRESS TO DATE

Much of the main focus of the Project and its personnel has been toward immediate protection of the cheetah and its habitat, especially within the five main protected areas in the Dashte Kavir region: Kavir, Khartouran, Naybandan, Daranjir, and Bafq. This was an important and sensible decision by the Project, since a number of the threats create an immediate and critical danger to the few remaining cheetahs in this region. 

The main threats to the cheetah were, and continue to be: killing of cheetahs themselves, killing of animals the cheetah depends upon for food (gazelles, wild sheep, and wild goats), and overgrazing that damages fragile desert vegetation and limits the carrying capacity of wild ungulate prey species. Among natural or non-anthropogenic threats, drought is the principle danger. The four-year drought gripping most of Central Asia has also negatively impacted the Dashte Kavir region, exacerbating overgrazing and further limiting ungulate carrying capacity (it is thought that wild sheep populations may have decreased by a third in some areas during this period, although gazelle and wild goat populations were not thought to have been as strongly affected). Competition with other large predators such as wolf, leopard, and striped hyena are undocumented, although this may have some minor affect in some areas or at some times. (Dr. Gus Mills, one of the world’s experts on hyenas, has stated in a previous Project mission report that he does not believe that striped hyenas have any appreciable negative effect on cheetahs in Iran and that there should be no steps taken to limit hyena numbers as a protective measure [as has been suggested by Project staff], a position with which I agree.)

At this point in time, the Cheetah Conservation Project appears to have been quite successful in achieving a number of initial stated and implied goals regarding protection of the Asiatic cheetah and its main habitats in Iran. The following is a list of achievements that the Project has reported to date.

ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE

1. Established a secretariat for the Project.

2. Promoted the status of 3 of the 5 selected protected areas that are considered main habitats of the Asiatic cheetah in Iran:

• Promoted Naybandan from Protected Area to Wildlife Refuge (1,500,000 ha).

• Promoted Daranjir from Hunting Prohibited Area to Protected Area (15,000 ha).

• Promoted Khartouran from Wildlife Refuge to National Park (120,000 ha).

3. Increased the fine for killing cheetah in Iran from US$ 2,500 to US$ 12,500.

4. Identified water and traditional grazing rights in parks and protected areas and started to buy rights, such as in Majerat in Khartouran NP.

5. Established and equipped 7 new guard stations in Naybandan and Khartouran.

6. Identified, hired, trained and deployed 33 new game guards for strengthening conservation and enforcement in parks and protected areas.

7. Held 6 training workshops for game guards.

8. Prepared 1:100,000 maps for the protected areas.

9. Preparing initial GIS maps with the collaboration of WCS and DoE experts for selected sites.

10. Taken approximately 2,150 photographs of wildlife in selected sites using camera traps.

11. Initiated public awareness activities to improve conservation, including creation and dissemination of a brochure, a calendar, and a notebook, each containing information on cheetah conservation.

12. Developed a second phase of the Project’s www.asiaticcheetah.org website.

13. Received support of President of the Republic for considering the conservation of the Asiatic cheetah as a high priority for the country.

14. Liaised with a number of international conservation organizations, including WCS, CCF, IUCN, and the Cheetah Breeding Research Centre in Dubai. A list of the 23 reports submitted by various technical missions can be found in Appendix 1.

FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a list of future activities that the Project has planned. Some of these activities are recent decisions made during this mission, and therefore they will be discussed in greater detail below.

1.     Surveys for cheetahs and their prey.

2.     Complete the socio-economic data collection in the cheetah habitats.

3.     Purchase required equipment for the park guards.

4.     Establish one post station in Dar Anjir wildlife refuge.

5.     Hire more game guards.

6.     Negotiate with Management & Plan Organization for switching the Project employees (game guards) to the government budget. 

7.     Hold workshops for the game guards for camera trapping techniques, GPS and data collection methods.

8.     Visit the selected sites regularly.

9.      Develop a work plan for the Project.

10.  Distribute training materials for the park guards. 

While the Project has been active and successful in a number of actions taken to increase protection of the cheetah and its habitat in Iran, there is unfortunately no opportunity to rest upon its successes to date. Both protection and data collection efforts must be increased during the upcoming year if the Project is to meet the various goals stated in the Project Document and discussed among the personnel. Below is a description of specific activities that must be a focus in 2003.

MISSION RECOMMENDATIONS

PROTECTION OF THE CHEETAH AND ITS HABITAT IN IRAN

Protection, while greatly increased due to the efforts of the Project, is still a critical need and must continue to be a principle focus. 

1. Protection of Habitat – Grazing

Grazing and grazing rights have been decreased in a number of protected areas, but continue to be a threat to the fragile desert vegetation and thus to prey species and the cheetahs themselves. Efforts must continue with the DOE to purchase grazing rights, reach agreements with local communities and major livestock owners regarding grazing activities in and around the protected areas, and removal of livestock, especially free-range camels from the core areas of the National Parks. Careful consideration must be made to determine the best use of Project funds for these activities – it was estimated that the costs for purchasing all remaining grazing rights in Khartouran National Park alone might be as much as US$ 50,000, and these costs are undoubtedly increasing yearly as local communities become aware of the profit potential. At the same time, negotiations must be made with the Ministry of Agriculture regarding minimizing the granting of grazing licenses in and around protected areas see Ministerial and Interministerial Cooperation below), and efforts must be made to educate local communities and livestock owners of the need to limit grazing from an environmental perspective, so that stakeholders do not develop strong resentment against the protected area and the Project (see Outreach/Conservation Education below). 

2. Enforcement

The Project has managed to increase the fine for killing cheetahs. However, enforcement of these laws must continue to be a focus. Guards must continue to have patrolling as a major part of their work, and be encouraged to aggressively pursue and prosecute poachers of both carnivores and ungulates in the protected areas, as ungulate poaching is still recorded as a problem in some locations. It has been suggested elsewhere that the possibility of an incentive system for successful guard prosecution of poachers be enacted within the Project. It is recommended here that potential incentive systems involving rewarding guards for their efforts be seriously considered by the Project and DOE to determine if such a system would be effective and if there is a legal precedent. 

3. Guards and Equipment

There is, unfortunately, still a critical need for more guards, better training, and more equipment for the guards than presently exist. It was repeated again and again during this mission that equipment was inadequate for the present needs of game guards in all five protected areas. I heard this stated from game guards, protected area managers, and even the Governor of Yazd Province, who strongly criticized the Project for paying the new Project guards roughly half of a normal DOE game guard salary, thus forcing the DOE to make contributions (clothes, food, equipment) in ways that were not budgeted.  UNDP-GEF and the Project have agreed to increase the new game guard salaries under their upcoming contract, which is imperative. There should also be a specific, itemized budget arranged for the guards’ needs, including clothing and equipment, ranging from GPS units to motorcycles, for the upcoming contractual period. Continued training of guards in all aspects of their job, from data collection to enforcement, should continue and be a regular part of the Project activities.

4. Long-Term Contracts

There is also a critical need to address the long-term contractual issue of the guards hired through the Project. At this time there is no plan for DOE to take on the contractual obligations for the 33 Project guards. It would be extremely detrimental to cheetah conservation if the guard contracts were allowed to lapse at the end of the Project, as many of the gains made to date and that will be made over the next two years are likely to be lost if protection and enforcement personnel do not continue to work actively in the protected areas. As well, dangers exist of losing local community support if local employees are dismissed from their positions once the Project officially ends. Discussions must begin between the Project and DOE to arrange for a mutually agreed hand-off of financial obligations.

5. Public Awareness

The Project has performed limited but directed efforts at raising awareness of the cheetah and the Project’s activities among local communities and Iran’s population at large. However, it is imperative that these efforts ramp up over the next few months to reach all communities associated with the protected areas, and begin to identify and involve stakeholders in the decision-making process involved in management of the cheetah’s main habitats. Most Project game guards have been hired from local communities, which has certainly helped raise awareness of the Project and protected area, as well as show potential and real benefits related to conservation. It is expected that efforts involving the ‘socio-economic surveys’ as described below will assist in awareness and outreach efforts. For more discussion on this subject see Outreach/Conservation Education below. 

DATA COLLECTION

Because the Project has focused its attention and efforts to date on threats and protection, the Project has yet to engage in a standardized, focused data collection effort. Such an effort is now critical to the continued success and goals of the Project. At this point, only a small amount of actual data has been collected from only certain locations, and only in an ad hoc manner. Non-standardized camera traps efforts have been performed in Naybandan and Daranjir. Socio-economic survey work has also been performed in over 70 communities around Khartouran, although some numerical data has apparently been collected on socio-economic issues throughout the Project areas (information such as number of households, number of livestock, etc). However, although I was told this data existed, it was not made available for analysis during this mission.

At the present time, estimates of cheetah numbers are assumed to be approximately 50. It is assumed by the Project Manager that these numbers have increased by about 10, from 40 or so. However, there are no reliable data collection efforts to support such assumptions. It is also possible that cheetah populations may have decreased from 60 to 50, a situation that would demand quite a different set of immediate management actions than the assumed increase. Because of such uncertainty and the potential repercussions in differences in numbers and trends, it is critical that the Project begin surveys using standardized and modern methodologies as soon as possible. Given the number of surveys and amount of data that is to be collected, there may be a need for the Project to hire a Data Manager who would assist field personnel and management in maintaining accurate data management and liaising with the GIS laboratory to ensure timely analysis.

1.  Cheetah Camera Trap Surveys

At the present time, the Project has 37 camera traps. A standardized design for camera trapping of cheetahs was created by Dr. Tim O’Brien in June of 2002 (see Report to I.R. Iran Department of Environment, Wildlife Conservation Society and UNDP on Conservation of Asiatic Cheetah Project GEF, June 2002), and it is strongly recommended that this methodology be followed immediately and over the next few months for each of the five protected areas covered by the Project, using all camera traps available to the Project. This survey should start within the month of February to ensure its completion in a timely manner. This is especially important given the upcoming needs for further surveys (see below) and for the Workshop, for which data must be collected and analyzed beforehand. The Project has agreed to begin standardized camera trap surveys beginning at the end of February.

It is strongly recommended that the ICS be contracted for the camera trap surveys. The need for knowledgeable manpower to run and manage these surveys is great – improper methodologies will mean wasted effort, time, and money, and a will result in flawed data that cannot and should not inform management decisions. The members of ICS have all shown a strong interest in this aspect of the Project and have stated a willingness to take on the on-ground management of the surveys. After meetings with them, I believe that they also have a strong grasp not only of the need for such a survey but also of the methodology needed to successfully perform a scientific, standardized, replicable survey. The Project should immediately enter into negotiations with ICS, DOE and IUCN to arrange a contract for the length of the camera trap survey.

2. Gazelle Transect Surveys

A standardized methodology for gazelle transect surveys was also created by Dr. Tim O’Brien in June of 2002. This set of surveys is critical to develop a defensible estimate of gazelle numbers, both for jebeer and for goitered gazelles in the five protected areas. During this mission it was agreed that given time and manpower constraints, the camera trap surveys would begin first (February). Dr. O’Brien would then visit Iran in late March or the beginning of April and train all staff, including game guards, on the specifics of the transect survey methodology. 

3. Point Count Surveys for Wild Goats and Sheep

A standardized methodology for point count surveys for wild sheep and goats was also created by Dr. Tim O’Brien in June of 2002. These surveys are critical to develop defensible estimates of goat and sheep populations to help determine carrying capacity for cheetahs within the protected areas. The upcoming March or early April workshop and training program led by Dr. O’Brien mentioned above will also involve training all staff, including game guards, on the specifics of the point count survey methodology.

4. Water Source and Vegetation Surveys

Water sources (natural springs and human-made water holes) are extremely important parts of the habitat for both cheetahs and their prey in the arid central desert region of Iran. Many of these water sources have been mapped by the Project using GIS. However, this effort needs to be completed for the remaining protected areas and input into an Arcview system for mapping. These data can then assist the Project in determining habitat quality analyses and management needs for the protected areas, including determining sites for new water holes based on the present distribution of water sources overlaid with cheetah and prey species distributions.

Vegetation surveys are also necessary for determining accurate habitat descriptions of protected areas and their capacity to sustain adequate prey populations. However, at this time the surveys outlined above (camera traps, gazelle transects, goat/sheep point counts, and water source surveys) should take precedence over vegetation transect surveys, given the critical need to determine cheetah and prey numbers and the limited manpower available. However, it is recommended that during gazelle transect surveys, GIS points are taken for major changes in vegetation (such as vegetated oases, Haloxylon ‘forests’, severely overgrazed areas, etc.). This data can easily be collected without much excess effort by the transect survey teams, and will help lead to an initial data set for mapping and understanding vegetation patterns in the five protected areas.

THE SOCIAL DIMENSION

1. Socio-economic Surveys

There is an immediate and critical need to begin socio-economic surveys, including general data collection, identification of stakeholders in local communities, and engagement of stakeholders in a cooperative management process. Situations differ from area to area – for example, there are very low levels of livestock in Naybandan although removing camels from the protected area is difficult, while there are still high levels of sheep and goats in Khartouran although camel removal is considered by staff to be easy. Land ownership and stakeholder perceptions of the protected areas and the Project also differ from area to area. Without a standardized and focused effort to document these issues, it will be impossible for the Project to successfully determine strategies to incorporate local stakeholders into the management process in any meaningful way. 

2. Collaborative Management

The Collaborative Management activities, which are a major part of the Project as outlined in the Project Document, will need to be developed from the socioeconomic surveys. Because of this it is imperative that decisions be made as to who will carry out the socioeconomic surveys and that the surveys begin in a timely manner. At this point, although efforts have been made in developing a socioeconomic survey strategy from a number of sources (e.g., CCF, IUCN), no project strategy has yet met with approval from the Project staff and UNDP. It is critical that this issue be resolved and that the surveys occur within the next few months, preferably to be completed by late spring, so that the survey results, and major stakeholders ranging from local community leaders, livestock owners, government officials, religious leaders, etc. be identified, so that they can be incorporated into management planning within the daily operations of the Project and for the upcoming management Workshop, tentatively planned for the autumn (see below). 

3. Outreach/Conservation Education

There is a critical and immediate need to begin a strategic and carefully planned outreach/conservation education program for all communities in and around the five Protected Areas. Although this aspect is often considered a part of the socioeconomic survey process, there should be a specific and separate effort to incorporate these sorts of activities into the Projects’ regular activities. Throughout this mission park personnel, government officials, and other people interviewed regularly reiterated the need for an increase in public awareness of the Project, the need for cheetah conservation, the reasons for conservation initiatives (especially those impacting local communities), and a general conservation education campaign to increase local understanding of the issues surrounding environmental degradation. For example, I was told that around Daranjir locals believed that cheetahs were killing camel babies, which led to the retribution killing of cheetahs when almost certainly other predators (such as wolves) were to blame. The Governor of Bafq stated that locals killed the siblings of Marita (the captive cheetah presently in the Tehran Zoo), and he insisted that with no outreach efforts from the Project, local people will certainly kill cheetahs again should they come into contact with them. The Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS) has already performed a number of education and outreach efforts (see Appendix 2), but there has not been a strategic and standardized Project focus on these sorts of activities. It is strongly recommended that the Project hire an Outreach/Education specialist to run this part of the Project. This outreach effort should be targeted at adult community members, school children (who could then discuss the issues with family members at home), miners in and around the protected areas, and government officials both within the central government and at the provincial level,

INCEPTION MISSION

1. Inception Mission

At this stage in the Project (after over a year and a half of activities), there appears to be no need for an Inception Mission as described in the original Project Document. The Inception Mission was initially designed to enable a large number of international experts to tour the Project sites and learn about the Project previous to a workshop. At this point, numerous international experts have already had opportunities to learn about and assist in the Project. It is my opinion (an opinion shared by all members of the Project and UNDP staff) that an Inception Mission would serve no discernable purpose outside of providing expensive entertainment for international consultants, and therefore would not be a wise use of much-needed funds.

2. Inception Workshop

Despite the recommendation above to dispense with an Inception Mission, there is still a very strong need and rationale for having what was previously termed the “Inception Workshop.” A workshop will enable all stakeholders, including Project personnel, government officials, NGOs, local community members, and international experts to discuss, determine, and draft a Conservation Action Plan that will provide recommendations for activities in the short-, medium-, and long-term for the continued conservation of the Asiatic cheetah in the I.R. of Iran. 

In order to make sensible management recommendations for a Cheetah Conservation Action Plan, accurate data must first be collected and analyzed. Because there has not been a standardized survey effort to date, the workshop cannot occur until data collection efforts as outlined above take place. It is likely that such surveys will take from two to four months each to collect and analyze data, although a number of the surveys can be performed simultaneously. Given these scheduled needs, a workshop could probably not take place until the autumn of 2003. At this point, it is recommended that a workshop be scheduled for late September or early November 2003, and that all survey and data analysis efforts be planned accordingly.

OTHER ISSUES

1. Protected Area Borders

There are five protected areas under consideration in this Project. Three of the protected areas have recently been upgraded (Naybandan from Protected Area to Wildlife Refuge, Daranjir from Hunting Prohibited Area to Protected Area, Khartouran from Wildlife Refuge to National Park). This will provide the three parks with better protection and increased funding, both of which will better serve cheetah conservation. However, after numerous discussions and meetings during this mission involving park and Project personnel and analyses of maps of the protected areas and the Dashte Kavir region in general, it has become obvious that a number of protected area boundaries are somewhat arbitrary and/or do not maximize conservation needs, especially in relation to cheetah habitat coverage and protection.  There is a strong need to revise protected area boundaries to take into consideration new information and new analyses that have given the Project staff a better understanding of these issues. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that one of the goals of the Project for the upcoming year is to determine a series of recommendations for increasing or altering protected area boundaries to better ensure that cheetah habitat is included and protected under the government’s park system.

2. Project Workplans

Since its inception the Project has worked without either a yearly or quarterly workplan. To date, the Project’s successes have been notable, and its ability to adapt to changing and new information and issues are impressive and admirable. However, as the Project continues, the number of different activities will increase to the point that keeping track of activities and progress will become difficult. Therefore it is strongly recommended that a system of workplans, both quarterly and yearly, be developed for the remaining period of the Project. At this time I am working with Mr. Jourabchian to develop the first annual workplan for the Project covering 2003. Unfortunately, as the workplan is still in the initial stages of development, it is not appended herein. However, we hope to have a finalized version prepared by early March. At that time, quarterly workplans can be developed using the yearly workplan as a baseline model.

3. Ministerial and Interministerial Cooperation

There are a number of issues facing the Project that involve upper levels of government. Examples include the fact that the Ministry of Agriculture provides grazing licenses for camels and other livestock in and around the protected areas, which can severely impact the success of cheetah conservation by limiting wild prey numbers and increasing human disturbance of the cheetahs themselves. Other ministries, such as Mining, can also have negative impacts on the protected areas and thus cheetah conservation. There are also issues such as revenue sharing with local communities that will need to be addressed at the legislative level. At this time most ministries have shown great cooperation with the Project, and the President of Iran has stated that the Project is a national priority. Still, specific efforts must be made to ensure that lines of communication remain open and that all levels of government are aware of the Project’s needs and goals, and are willing to assist when necessary.

4. Communication

A regular complaint that was heard during this mission was that lines of communication were not adequately maintained. This complaint occurred at almost all levels within and outside of the Project – from Project staff discussing internal management issues, to provincial government officials discussing Project lines of communication, to communication between the Project, DOE, and UNDP. Previous to the mission there had been strong complaints from previous international consultants commenting on the lack of communication from Project personnel after their missions were completed, in terms of determining follow-up activities and data collection. 

Therefore, it is recommended that the Project make a much stronger effort to maintain lines of communication between all stakeholders in this Project, ranging from Project staff, provincial and central government officials, DOE and UNDP officials, and international consultants. Dissatisfaction with communication can sabotage cheetah conservation efforts (as was intimated by a government official who threatened to bar Project staff from entering his Province if, at a minimum, his complaints weren’t taken seriously). Lines of communication, beginning with Mr. Jourabchian, must be maintained and encouraged throughout the Project if the Project goals are to be achieved. While the methods for communication must be determined by the Project personnel, it is recommended that regular meetings occur between stakeholders (for example, weekly Project staff update meetings, monthly update meetings between Project management, UNDP, and/or DOE, etc.).

5. International Attention/Publications

There is a need to draw further international attention to the need for cheetah conservation in Iran and to the Project and its activities and successes. One of the best ways to do this is through peer-review publications in scientific journals. Such publications will draw the attention of the scientific community, and also present information that the popular press can then use to further direct interest in and attention on cheetah conservation. While there has been little standardized data collection to date, discussions with Project staff has led to the conclusion that there is the potential for two articles to be written and published in the short term. One paper would be on historic and present distribution of cheetahs in Iran, using data collected by the Project from historical records combined with recent sightings and the mapping efforts of the GIS laboratory. The second article would be on diet and habitat use of cheetahs in Iran, highlighting the “unusual” habits of cheetahs using rocky canyons and preying on wild sheep and goats. Dr. O’Brien, Dr. Sanderson and I have agreed to assist the Project in preparation and identification of suitable venues for these and any other papers the Project wishes to submit.

6. Shir Ahmad

Shir Ahmad Protected Area had approximately 50 free-ranging goitered gazelles (Gazella subgutterosa) approximately 10 years ago, and now contains an estimated 1,200 animals. The park also contains a small captive breeding center for jebeer gazelles (Gazella bennetti) containing 13 animals in a roughly 40 ha enclosure. Park personnel estimate that the goitered gazelle population is probably over the carrying capacity of the park, perhaps by as much as an estimated 200 head. The gazelles frequently leave the park boundaries and raid local community gardens, which has created strong antipathy toward the gazelles and the protected area by many community members. During a three-hour field  visit, despite snow and fog which limited visibility to between 150-250 m for much of the time, we still spotted over 160 gazelles in groups ranging from single animals to two groups with over 40 individuals. 

During this mission Shir Ahmad personnel discussed the possibility of introducing cheetahs to their protected area, given the excellent prey base and as a way of controlling the gazelle population. However, given the low numbers of cheetah in the wild and the dangers involved in capture and translocation, it is strongly recommended that no efforts be made at this time to capture and translocate cheetahs to this reserve. However, it is recommended that the Project consider the potential of translocating goitered gazelles to nearby protected areas inhabited by cheetahs, including Naybandan and Khartouran. According to park staff, between 50 and 100 gazelles each could be moved to the two reserves without affecting the present population within Shir Ahmad, and in fact lowering the population by some 100-200 would probably help limit the destructive effects of gazelles on nearby crops, and thus limit local antipathy toward the animals and the park itself.

At the present time the jebeer gazelle breeding center in Shir Ahmad is facing a problem that has severely limited its success, but yet that can be easily solved. At this time the gazelle population is controlled by a single adult male, who has over the years apparently killed males in the population who have reached adulthood. Simply separating this male from other males, most easily by splitting the present fenced area in two, would likely cause a doubling or tripling of the population in a short period of time. Once this population has increased to a reasonable size, the potential for translocation of jebeers to known cheetah locations should be investigated.

7. Cloning

Recently the Indian government has suggested a strong interest in attempting to clone Asiatic cheetahs for release within its borders, and the Indian government made a request to the Iranian government for a pair of cheetahs from the remaining wild population for this experiment.  It is strongly recommended that the Iranian government not involve themselves in such an activity at this time. Asiatic cheetahs are so rare that removal of any animal from the wild could have a very negative impact on small local populations. At the same time capture of wild cheetahs is extremely risky and injury or death of animals is very possible. Cloning is still an extremely difficult activity, and experiments have very low success rates. Even ‘successful’ clones often have serious genetic defects. Using Asiatic cheetahs to experiment upon given these risks is an extremely poor use of these last few wild animals, especially when African cheetahs, which are in greater abundance and probably have little genetic differences, are available in the wild and in captivity. Also, cheetahs in Iran appear ecologically unique in their use of rocky canyonland and wild sheep and goats as prey. Reintroduction attempts will be that much more difficult given the unique ecological niche of these animals. Overall, there appears to be no rationale for using Asiatic cheetahs from Iran for cloning. The bad press, both scientifically and internationally, would strongly negatively affect continued efforts to support the Project and cheetah conservation in Iran.

8. Future Support

The Cheetah Conservation Project is in its second year, and the Project as designed is planned to continue for a total of four years. It is impossible that the main long-term Indicator of the Project, as outlined in the Project Document, can be met during that time: “Presence of a sustainably viable population of the Asiatic cheetah in the I.R. of Iran . . . Removal of the cheetah from the IUCN list of Critically Endangered Species.” This is not because of failure in the project design or implementation, but purely a biological and environmental issue – even with perfect protection, cheetahs (and their prey species) in Iran cannot possibly breed at a rate that will enable them to achieve criteria to be considered sustainably viable or no longer Critically Endangered within the next two years. Therefore, the Project should begin consideration of future funding to ensure that conservation efforts begun by this Project do not end when the present GEF Project is completed. Discussions with Frank Pinto, Executive Coordinator of UNDP-GEF, and with others involved in the Project suggested that there may be potential for the creation of a full-sized GEF Project as a way to continue conservation efforts. It is not too early to begin looking into such potential funding mechanisms, be they through GEF or through other agencies. The Asiatic cheetah is a national and international treasure, and without continued efforts on its behalf by committed individuals such as those presently working on this Project, it is unlikely that this fascinating and endangered species will survive.

APPENDIX 1

The following is a list of 23 reports that have been submitted to the Project to date (titles, dates and authors provided by Project personnel):

Report on observation and study about Asiatic cheetah in part of Naybandan. Secretariat of Asiatic Cheetah Project, February 1997.

Report of visiting habitats of Asiatic cheetah with representatives of IUCN. Secretariat of Asiatic Cheetah Project, February 1998.

Report of Asiatic cheetah observation in Yazd Province. Environment of Yazd, October 1998.

Report on situation of Asiatic cheetah in Khourasan Province. Secretariat of Asiatic Cheetah Project, August 1999.

Report on a mission to Behabad. A. Fallah, October 2001. 

Inception Mission Proposal. Cheetah Conservation Foundation, January 2002.

Report on conservation of Asiatic cheetah in Touran. Environment of Semnan, February 2002.

Report on increasing protection in Touran for conservation of extinction species (cheetah). Environment of Semnan, February 2002.

Report on recognizing, introducing and protection of Touran for conservation of Asiatic cheetah. Environment of Semnan, February 2002.

Report on Asiatic cheetah observation in undertaking location of Yazd Province 1975-2002. Environment of Yazd, February 2002.

Report on mission to Namibia. Secretariat of Asiatic Cheetah Project, February 2002.

Report on a mission to Daranjir to study habitats and socio-economic situation of villages around habitats. M. Farhadinia and Hatami (ICS), March 2002.

Report of studying Kavir National Park. M. Farhadinia and Eslami, April 2002.

Report on mission to Iran for visiting Habitat of Asiatic cheetah. G. Mills, May 2002.

Report on a mission to Iran for visiting habitats of Asiatic cheetah. T. O’Brien and E. Sanderson, June 2002.

Report on mission of working group for critical cheetah population. Secretariat of Asiatic Cheetah Project, July 2002.

Report on mission to Iran for visiting habitats of Asiatic cheetah. G. Schaller and T. O’Brien, July 2002.

Report on Asiatic cheetah population in different location around the world. A. Aghili, July 2002.

Report of dispatched group to Cheetah Interest Group Workshop, South Africa. Secretariat of Asiatic Cheetah Project, July 2002.

Primary socio-economic study in villages around the national park and Touran. A. Aghili, August 2002.

Report of Steering Committee. Secretariat of Asiatic Cheetah Project, August 2002.

Report on a mission to Naybandan. M. Farhadinia and Eslami, September 2002.

Report on mission to Iran for visiting habitats of Asiatic cheetah. L. Marker and C. Olson, November 2002.

APPENDIX 2

The following is a list of activities performed by the Tehran-based NGO, the Iranian Cheetah Society, since its inception in August 2001:

1. Trained around 1,300 young students in 3 schools in Tehran on Environment, wildlife, and the cheetah (2001-2003)

2. Trained local people about wildlife at Kharanegh, near Dare Anjir WR and Naybandan village, inside Naybandan WR with the co-operation of CAC Project (2002-2003) 

3. Attended the 4th and 5th “Festival of Kid and Nature” in Darabad Museum, Tehran and developed a booth for the Iranian cheetah to inform people, especially children, about the species via writing a letter to Marita, drawing a cheetah, and playing a game called “cheetah and stairs.” A story about an Iranian cheetah was also performed in the theatre hall for visitors (Oct 2001 and 2002).

4. Held the first seminar on “Threats to the Cheetah Survival in Iran” in Darabad museum with good mass media coverage (Sept 2002).

5. Attended the 3rd Int`l Environmental Fair in Tehran and developed a booth for the Iranian cheetah in which visitors followed cheetah tracks on the ground from the entrance, then some facts about the status of the species were described by some children in cheetah costumes trained for more than 9 months (July 2002).

6. Designed a pocket-sized notebook on the cheetah for the CAC Project (Apr 2002).

7. Gathered and presented all the papers on the cheetah in Farsi since 1979 till 2002 for experts, students and interested people (June 2002).

8. Performed field surveys in Naynabadan, Dare Anjir, Kavir, Bafgh and Khar Turan (2001-2003), which were begun in 1998 and continued with the co-operation of CAC Project.

9. Surveyed habitats in Eastern Esfahan Province, located between Kavir and Dare Anjir, called Abbas Abad, for the possible existence of the cheetah (2002).

10. Co-operated with the CAC Project in setting up camera traps in Naybandan, Dare Anjir and Kavir, resulting three pictures of the cheetahs in Naybandan (2002).

11. Designed and published a poster of an Iranian cheetah with a sponsorship of Pak manufacture which was for the first sponsorship of such an activity in Iran (Nov 2002).

12. Held a festival entitled “ A day with animals” with  co-operation of 3 other NGOs in Pardisan Eco Park, Tehran where the only captive Iranian cheetah in the world is kept (Jan 2003).

13. Public awareness about the Iranian cheetah via mass media (2001-2003).

14. Provided a database on the cheetah observations since 1960s for CAC Project GIS lab (May 2002).

15. Developed a website for the Iranian cheetah www.iraniancheetah.8m.com

16. Co-operated with the “Iranian Charity for Support of Cord Malformations” on the basis of sponsorship and attracting public attention toward the cheetah in Iran (2003).

17. Published and distributed papers, stories and games about eight Iranian endangered species for three age ranges (kids, juveniles and youths) through Roshd Magazines with more than 1.2 million a month distributed in schools of all over the country at a low price. This attracted lots of attention (2002-2003)

18. Negotiated with the Iranian Ministry of Education on workshops for teachers to inform them about Iranian biodiversity and also getting the Iranian cheetah as a national issue included in the next year’s official curriculum (via student books in the field of biology, science, genetics and geography).

Along with the activities above-mentioned, the Iranian Cheetah Society plans to start the following activities:

• Publishing a news letter called Cheetah Letter (South African Embassy in Tehran has agreed to fund the first volume).

• Designing some warning symbols and installing them in the roads inside and around the cheetah habitats to prevent accidents (under negotiation with Shell company as sponsor).

• Designing some statues based on local animals in Yazd Province such as Cheetah and Jebeer to install inside two main squares of the city of Yazd (under negotiation with Yazd Electrode as sponsor).

• Producing a 6-aspect cube puzzle with six pictures of the cheetah for kids, juveniles and youths (looking for sponsor).

• Holding workshop “Let`s know wildlife!” for 7 schools in Tehran.

• Spending a considerable part of educational efforts at local communities (142 villages).

• Publishing a book on the Iranian cheetah for students and interested people (a publishing company has agreed to sponsor it).