Caucasus project
PROJECT TITLE: IDENTIFICATION OF THE PERSIAN LEOPARD HABITATS IN EAST AZARBAIJAN PROVINCE
SOURCE OF FUND: EAST AZARBAIJAN PROVINCIAL DOE
YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2012
In 2012, a research was developed and conducted to identify leopard potential habitats in East Azarbaijan province to provide a basis for leopard conservation and management programs in transboundary areas in northwest of Iran. It is worth mentioning that among three bordering provinces of Ardebil, West and East Azarbaijan in northwest of Iran, East Azarbaijan province has the longest borderline (45 km) with the South Caucasus countries. This province also contains main common leopard habitats with two neighboring countries of Armenia and Azerbaijan Republics.
In this study, a total of 37 discrete areas were identified with more than 23% probability of presence of the leopard. Localities of these potential habitats were identified in each township. Even though, much of the leopard habitats in this area are scattered and isolated (or in the process of isolation), few main habitats were found to be reasonably vast and connected. However, these areas are surrounded by cultivation lands and settlement areas. Presence of livestock and poaching of prey species are other risks available in these regions...
Mapping the Persian leopard habitat connectivity in the Iranian sector of the Caucasus ecoregion
