Official: 128 animal species in danger in Iran
Official: 128 animal species in danger in Iran
The deputy head of natural environment and biodiversity of the Department of Environment (DOE) said on Sunday that some 128 animal species mostly amphibians are in danger in Iran.

TEHRAN (Iran News) –  The deputy head of natural environment and biodiversity of the Department of Environment (DOE) said on Sunday that some 128 animal species mostly amphibians are in danger in Iran.

Addressing a ceremony to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity, Hassan Akbari said Iran with 200 species of mammals, 500 species of birds, and 160 species of amphibians is ranking first in the Middle East with regard to biological diversity.

 

The number of birds in Iran is almost equal to that of Europe, more than a quarter of which are native, he noted.

 

There are about 215,000 rams, ewes, goats, deer, jackals, and zebras in Iran that are monitored every year, indicating that it has decreased by about 10%.

 

The International Day for Biological Diversity is a United Nations-sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues. It is currently held on May 22. The International Day for Biological Diversity falls within the scope of the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals.