Tehran Zoological Garden

The Tehran Zoological Garden, also known as Eram Zoo, is located 4 kilometer on the Tehran - Karaj Expressway in the Eram amusement Park. This zoo covers an area of 5 hectares and was inaugurated in 1992, housing over more than 290 species.^[1]

History

In old times of Iran, it was common to have small exhibitions of animals and birds for families in some houses; some times there were exhibitions in some parts of the cities.

In 1637, Adam Olorius, the German traveler had mentioned seeing a zoo in Isfahan (Safavid empire capital).^[2] At Fat′h-Ali Shah Qajar's era, around 1809, there used to be exhibitions of baboons, apes, snakes, bears and lions in Sabze meidan, Tehran. Also, there was a permanent exhibition of elephants at elephant house in Darolkhalafeh and the Indian elephants were used in especial occasions. In Qajar era, the first zoo was not established until Naser al-Din Shah Qajar established it at Lakhti Street (Sadi). It was small and few people were visiting it.

Later, when Naser al-Din Shah Qajar traveled to Europe he was inspired by the modern zoological gardens. He established the Tehran Zoological Garden at Doshan Tappeh where there was already a splendid Mansion established from 1853 containing a very beautiful lake using qanat as water source. It was built for Nassereddin Shah's excursions and a collection of Shiraz lions, Mazandaran tiger, Persian leopards, an Asiatic cheetah, bears, striped hyenas, monkeys, apes, baboons, peafowl and predatory birds were kept in the zoo. People could visit the park unless the king was hiking in there. During time, this park was expanding until 1992 that it moved to the current location for medical reasons and renovation.^[3]

In 2010, the Iranian government sent a pair of Persian leopard to Russia's Sochi National Park in exchange for two Siberian tigers so that they will eventually release the tigers into the wild in the next five years and start the re-population project. The Miankaleh peninsula was chosen as a suitable habitat for the tigers.^[4]

In September 2014, the Tehran Zoological Garden requested to the European Endangered Species Program (EEP) committee to follow the non-EAZA institution for the Asiatic lion. It was said that two Asian lion cubs from a German zoo are on their way for the Tehran zoo. The enclosure for the species has been prepared. However, the letter sent to the Tehran zoo is controversial, it is disputed that it may be false.^[5]

Exhibits

Country's largest zoo with 120 animal species from Iran and the world:

• Cats: African lion, Bengal tiger, African and Persian leopard, Siberian tiger, Eurasian lynx, striped hyena, Asiatic cheetah.
• Canine: wolf, jackal, fox.
• Primates: chimpanzee, baboon, rhesus macaque.
• Bears: brown bear.
• Birds: crowned crane, peacock, pheasant, pelican, saker falcon, vulture, eagle, penguin.
• Reptiles and amphibians: python, Iran Plateau short snout crocodile, lizard, iguana, turtle.
• Marsupials: kangaroo.
• Rodents: porcupine, Persian squirrel, rabbit, hamster.
• Fish: African catfish.
• Other: Persian onager, Persian fallow deer, red deer, Bactrian camel,^[6][7] African bush elephant, Sri Lankan elephant

References