Nine Cheetahs Reported in Iran

Recent news reports include several photos of a family of cheetahs in Iran, caught on film in June by a remote camera. The photos show an apparently healthy mother and four six-month old cubs.

Then again in August, Iranian wildlife scientists spotted four adult cheetahs. This second sighting does not seen to have garnered near as much press coverage. I haven't seen any photos from this sighting and assume there aren't any. If so, then there won't be any way to know if these might have been the same cheetahs photographed in June, somewhat more grown up.

Iran is thought to be the home of the last vestige of the Asiatic Cheetah. Even the most optimistic scientists estimate no more than a mere 100 Asiatic Cheetahs in Iran and the surrounding area. They were once common throughout the area and extended well in to India.

When I think of Iran, I can't help but recall that George Bush has named the country as a member of his "axis of evil". Like many others, I fear the potential for a future US invasion of Iran.

We've seen the human toll of the war in Iraq, on all sides. I imagine that the human toll in Iran would be just as bad. But even beyond the human tragedy, I can't help but worry about the few dozen cheetahs still surviving there.

People have already decimated the Asiatic Cheetah population. We're at a point where it could still go either way - extinction or revival. If they do go extinct, it will be because of people due to hunting, habitat destruction, and now maybe even another war.

If they survive, we might be able to claim some responsibility for that as well. It all depends on what we do next.

In Iran, Camera Traps Reveal Rare Asiatic Cheetahs
Wildlife Conservation Society
August 29, 2005
www.sciencedaily.com

Asiatic cheetahs caught on camera
BBC News
August 31, 2005
news.bbc.co.uk

Photo in the News: Rare Cheetahs Caught In Camera Trap
National Geographic News
September 2, 2005
news.nationalgeographic.com

Sightings of Asiatic cheetah lift hopes for their survival
AP, TEHRAN, IRAN
September 5, 2005
www.taipeitimes.com

Scientists snap rare Asiatic cheetah family photo
The Washington Post
September 11, 2005
www.indystar.com