The website of Iran Environment and Wildlife reported on February 24 that a third Persian leopard has been captured alive in Tandooreh National Park and fitted with a GPS tracking neckband.
At stages one and two of the project, which is the doctoral thesis of Mohammad Sadegh Farhadinia, Borna, and Bardiya [two male Persian leopards] were equipped with similar neckbands.
A third stage of the project saw researchers set traps in late January to capture more leopards alive. One day after the traps were laid, a third leopard was caught. In order to carry out some tests and examination, the feline was given a dose of aesthetic through a blowpipe.
The subsequent examination of the big cat showed that he was about 11 years old and weighed 57 kg, which is not much for an adult Persian leopard.
Dr. Iman Memarian, a veterinarian who conducted the medical examination, said, “Although some of his teeth were decayed, he still has enough healthy teeth to hunt. To ease the tracking of this old and experienced leopard, we named him Borzoo.”
A few days after Borzoo was released into the wild, a picture of him was captured by a camera installed in the park. The following is a photo gallery posted by www.iew.ir of the operation during which Borzoo was equipped with the tracking neckband:
