Introduction
Golden deserts sway in the Iranian steppe under the hot heat. The craggy boulders strewn throughout this terrain glisten in the distance when temperatures here exceed 70°C (158°F), which is a temperature record. Nevertheless, wildlife thrives, notwithstanding this arid environment. Surprisingly, the Asiatic cheetah is this ecosystem’s top predator. The Asiatic cheetah A. j. venaticus’ population has shrunk significantly over the past century. Its range has also decreased considerably, leaving it isolated to a tiny area of Iran’s great plains (Farhadinia et al., 2018). At the moment, it is still difficult to assess the full extent of their prevalence.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Carnivora
- Family: Felidae
Subfamilies
The Felidae family has 38 members spread throughout four extant groups (Felis, Neofelis, Panthera, and Acinonyx) and two subfamilies (Pantherniae and Felinae).
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Leopards, lions, tigers, and jaguars are members of the Panthera. The animals in this category can “roar,” but not “purr.”
Subfamily: Felinae
All non-roaring cats belong to the genus Felinae (cheetah, lynx, bobcat, caracal, puma, fishing cat, ocelot, margay, jaguarundi, and serval). Cats in this grouping can “purr” but not “roar.”
No one is certain why members of this subfamily acquired the capacity to purr. However, one idea postulates that the mother, Felinae started to purr to cover and hide the meowing noises her helpless offspring produced while feeding.
History
According to a five-year genomics study, the Asiatic cheetah separated from the African cheetah around 32,000 and 67,000 years ago (Farhadinia et al., 2018, p. 56). The Asiatic cheetah is smaller than its African counterparts but has a denser coat, a more robust backbone, and thin legs. Although no scientific evidence supports this claim, many think they could be quicker than the longer-legged African variety.
The Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, and India were formerly all covered by the Asiatic cheetah. Due to predation, habitat destruction, and poisoning, they almost entirely vanished from the planet. Around 400 cheetahs were said to have lived in Iran until World War II, dispersed all across plains and desert regions of the country’s eastern half as well as in the northwest landscapes close to the Iraqi border (Farhadinia et al., 2018, p. 56). Since prey supply determines breeding efficiency, Asiatic cheetah numbers are steadily declining. In December 2017, just 50 individuals were estimated to still live in the habitat (Farhadinia et al., 2018). Since then, experts’ assessment has not changed much and is estimated at the same intervals.
Geographic distribution
The Asiatic cheetah extensively dispersed a century ago. In the past, it spread from North Africa via the Arabian Peninsula, Palestine, and Syria to central India across Mesopotamia, Persia, southern Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. By the middle of the 1980s, it is believed that the Asiatic cheetah had vanished from that region. The latest Asiatic cheetah sighting in India occurred in 1948 when one animal was killed. The Helmand, Safi, Hari Ruda, and Murghab basins in Afghanistan were previously home to Asiatic cheetahs. Ever since the late 1940s, no more cheetah encounters have been documented. These five protected areas—Kavir National Park, Touran National Park, Bafq Protected Area, Dare Anjir Wildlife Refuge, and Naybandan Wildlife Reserve—now house the majority of Asiatic cheetahs. According to calculations, 70 to 110 individuals live in the wild (Farhadinia et al., 2018). Despite the slow rise, it is nevertheless a remarkable environmental success story. Both environmentalists and experts are confident that the Asiatic cheetah will rule the Persian desert.
Causes and Remedies for Current Endangered Status
Due to overfishing, habitat destruction, and a lack of available large carnivores that were practically eradicated by human activity, cats have been faced with extinction. Since the 1950s, there have not been any sightings in Afghanistan, and no large cats were detected in Pakistan in a study conducted in 2001 (Farhadinia et al., 2018). Building a border wall has made it more challenging for them to migrate naturally from Iran to Turkmenistan. In Iran, cheetahs are facing a severe new threat brought on by the expanding road system (Farhadinia et al., 2018) – 15 cheetahs were killed in car accidents between 2001 and 2016, notably 8 (6 males and two females) in Yazd Region, one male in Darband, and 6 (1 male and five females) on the main road close to the North Touran.
On average, herders perceive cheetahs favorably compared to certain other top carnivores, maybe because there are not many confrontations and encounters with them. Nonetheless, seven proven occurrences of fatality between 2001 and 2016 were caused by herders and their watchdogs (Farhadinia et al., 2018). In addition, 13 incidents of fatality that might have been caused by a clash with herders and their hounds were recorded by professional experts and authorities. However, no proof was gathered to support these claims.
Conclusion
The Asiatic cheetah inhabits dry regions with low populations of medium-sized wild ungulates, including the chinkara (Gazella bennettii), goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa), wild sheep (Ovis Orientalis), and wild goat (Capra aegagrus), all of which are subject to frequent hunting. Cheetah populations continue to be severely hampered by unlawful and unethical prey poaching in and near nature reserves.
Reference
Farhadinia, M. S., Hunter, L. T. B., Jowkar, H., Schaller, G. B., & Ostrowski, S. (2018). Asiatic cheetahs in Iran: Decline, current status, and threats. Cheetahs: Biology and Conservation, 55–69.