Iran is blessed with diversity in its wildlife.Iran animals of the desert are unique, rare, and some of them are even harmful. The country has a list of amazingly adapted mammals, reptiles, and birds that inhabit the deserted lands.Starting from small rodents of the desert to big, dangerous carnivores, Iran shelters all types of animals in its forests. One-tenth of Iran is covered by forests and the northern districts around the Caspian region are the most densely forested areas of Iran. Most of the animals are found in these forests. There are also many sanctuaries and national parks that facilitate the popular wildlife watching culture of Iran.The Nayband Wildlife Reserve is the largest park in Iran located toward the east of the country. It is the best place to watch the leopards, gazelle goats, and plenty of Iran’s popular snakes. The Khar Turan National Park along with Golestan National Park and the Miandasht Wildlife Refuge forms a long stretch of protected lands from where animals can be watched easily. There are also some other parks from where you can see the cheetah, brown bear, wolf, and hyena in Iran.If you are interested to know more about animals of different places, keep on reading the articles on animals of the Great Barrier Reef, or animals in Saudi Arabia facts too.The Official National Animal Of IranColloquially, the official national animal of Iran is said to be the lion but to be specific, the actual national animal of Iran is the Persian or Asiatic lion.The Persian or Asiatic lion is the most powerful animal in the world, often referred to as the king of the jungle. Apart from this lion species, Iran has a long list of animals that are also regarded as the national animal of Iran. They are Persian leopard, Persian fallow deer, Asiatic cheetah, and Persian cat. Unfortunately, Asiatic lions are no longer found in the wild in Iran, with their only naturally occurring population limited to India.They are considered to be one of the most dangerous animals in the wildlife. Though they mainly live in the woods and prey on other weaker species, they can also attack humans. Once clawed, there are small chances to free from the lion. They were selected to be the national animal of Iran due to their strong and powerful nature.The Most Dangerous Animals In Iran TodayEven though it shelters a large number of carnivorous species starting from big bears to harmful wolves, the most dangerous animals of this desert land are its venomous species, the snakes and scorpions.Iran has numerous species of venomous scorpions. However, there is one scorpion species named the Hemiscorpius lepturus which is believed to be the most dangerous of them all. This scorpion has a strange painless sting but the toxins injected with a single sting can even cause death. When stung, the toxins spread very fast in the body and cause serious wounds, inflammations, and even death. This species is responsible for many scorpion deaths in the country.There are also a number of venomous snakes in the wildlife of Iran. The spider-tailed horned viper and the Persian horned vipers found in the arid deserts of Iran have toxins that can cause bleeding and hemorrhaging. The bites of the Caspian cobra living in the northeastern part of the country contain neurotoxins that affect the neural system of the body causing paralysis and death. The saw-scaled viper of the Middle East and India is responsible for the most number of deaths in the country.There is another rare reptile of Iran that is worth mentioning in the list of dangerous species. It is the monitor lizard. The monitor lizard is a heavy-bodied lizard with a forked, snake-like tongue and a long tail. It is believed that the skin of the lizard is venomous in nature.Endangered Animals In IranIran is sparsely inhabited by its citizens, a big percentage of its land is empty and the abandoned lands act as a home to the different animal species.Still, some of the most common species of Iran are declared Endangered. Iran needs higher and improved conservation actions to protect its endangered species before they face the prospect of extinction. Some of the endangered animals of Iran are listed below.Persian leopard: The Persian leopards are the largest species of leopards in the world. The majority of these leopards are presently residing in Iran. Once they were found in large numbers throughout the mountain slopes of the Alborz and Zagros mountain ranges but at present, their numbers have decreased considerably. Currently, the leopard population in the wild has declined to only 1,000 and the species is at the brink of extinction from Iran’s wildlife.Asiatic cheetah: Another national animal of the country, the Asiatic cheetah is well-known for its speed and power. They are as fast as their African cousins. The cheetah range once extended from India to the Middle East but due to extensive habitat loss, their numbers have declined not only from Iran but almost in all parts of their range. The largest number of Asiatic cheetahs were found in Iran and at present, it is the last remaining refuge of these cheetahs.Caspian seal: The Caspian seal is restricted only to the shores of the Caspian Sea. Millions of Caspian seals were once found along the Caspian seashore. However, their number has declined to 100,000 currently due to predation and exploitation of their ecosystem. Even though they have a fair population, the rate of decline is very concerning and they can go extinct if proper actions are not taken.Persian fallow deer: The Persian fallow deer is another native species of Iran’s wildlife that went extinct in the 19th century due to being overhunted. However, some methods of reintroduction were carried out for this native wild animal and slowly some deers started appearing in parts of their former habitat. Still, only a few thousand individuals of this deer species are left in Iran.Dark maned wild goat: A non-dangerous animal found in the arid deserts of Iran, the wild goat is also listed as an Endangered species of Iran. The remaining goats are present in the Haftad Gholleh national park in central Iran. They acted as natural prey of wolves, leopards, coyotes, and golden eagles.Plant And Animal Life In IranThe plant and animal life in Iran is diverse. The country is mainly a desert land and accordingly, its flora and fauna are also suited for desert habitats.More than 2,000 plant species grow in Iran. The topography and water level of a place determine the plant characteristics of a place. The nature of the soil also plays a significant role in determining the vegetation type. In the Caspian region, most of the trees are of deciduous nature, although a few evergreen trees are also present. Broad-leaved plants such as oak, beech, elm, walnut, ash, and other valuable trees are found commonly in the central and western districts. Some thorny scrubs and ferns are also found there.The Zagros Mountain slopes are mostly covered by scrub oak forests along with maple trees, elm trees, and pistachio trees. The intermediate zone of the arid Iran plateau contains almond plats, thin strands of juniper, and wild fruit trees. Willow, poplar, and plane tree forms the major plant species on the ravines. Wild plants and shrubs grow in the barren land of the desert but ultimately they get burnt away by the summer sun.However, there are some deserts and dunes that hold water, thickets of bushes grow abundantly in such places. The southern coast of Iran is covered by subtropical forests like the Hara forest. Plants like a date palm, oak, poplar, mulberry, and elm, are common around oases. The swampy marshes give rise to good pasture lands.While Iran is home to innumerable wildlife species, there are some animal species that are endemic to Iran. Its fauna includes 34 bat species, small Indian mongoose, Indian gray mongoose, golden jackal, striped hyena, foxes, brown bear, Eurasian lynx, leopard, and Asian black bears. Wild pigs and bears form bears are two animals that are not common in the wildlife of the Middle East but are found in Iran.Some herbivorous ungulate wild animals of Iran are wild boar, red deer, and goitered gazelle. Aquatic migrating birds often crowd the Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf region. Iran also maintains a large population of domestic animals. These animals include sheep, goats, donkeys, horses, and camels. The country has a well-defined food chain, the carnivorous leopards feed on the ungulates such as wild sheep, red deer, roe deer, and other domestic animals.Hares, Pikas, And Rabbits In IranThe hares, rabbits, and pikas together form the order Lagomorpha. Iran shelters a single species of pika and one species of hare, but the theory regarding the origin of rabbits in Iran is disputed.Around 71 wild rabbits were found from a province called Fars located in southern parts of Iran. A pika species called the Afghan pika has a patchy distribution in Iran. The subspecies of the Afghan pika found in Iran have a considerably larger population than other subspecies. Another type of lagomorph called cape hare also has its origin in Iran. Along with Iran, the Cape hare is also found in Israel, Arabia, Pakistan, and the Mediterranean region.Horses, Rhinoceroses, And Tapirs In IranIrrespective of their differences in appearances, the horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs all belong to the same or of animals called Perissodactyla, or odd-toed ungulates.Apart from the horses, rhinos, and the tapirs, zebras, and donkeys also belong to this group. These three families of animals have 17 species under them. Generally, the horses inhabit grasslands and steppes, rhinos are found in forests of Asia and in dry savannas, while tapirs typically live in tropical and subtropical forests. Unfortunately, there are no tapirs or rhinoceroses in Iran.However, Iran boasts a number of horses who have exquisite appearances. The Bakhtiari horse is one such breed, which is native to Iran and has a tall and lanky stature. This breed is available in all coat colors. The Darashouri breed is another famous type of horse belonging to the Fars province, which is located in Iran. These horses are particularly known for their coats which appear silky and glossy. Their friendly and intelligent nature also makes them quite sought after.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for animals in Iran then why not take a look at animals in Iceland and animals in the Arctic Ocean.
Iran is blessed with diversity in its wildlife.
