We studied leopards in Tandoureh NP, north-eastern Iran (ca. 20 km from the Turkmenistan border) from September 2014. The park has been protected since 1968 and covers 355 km2. It is characterized by mountains covered with wormwood Artemisia sp. and scattered juniper trees Juniperus sp. Elevation and annual precipitation range from 1,000 to 2,600 m and 250 to 300 mm, respectively.
There is no human settlement inside the park. Besides the two main cities, i.e. Dargaz (Iran) and Ashgabat (the capital of Turkmenistan) near our study area (Fig 1 ), local communities live in villages with population ranging between 30 to 400 households. They are mainly sheep and goat herders.
The main prey species for leopards include urial Ovis orientalis, bezoar goat Capra aegagrus, and wild pig Sus scrofa. The availability of leopard prey in Tandoureh is affected by the national park boundaries. Wild medium-sized prey are available only inside the park, whereas domestic animals are found exclusively outside the park. The only exceptions are wild pigs, which are occasionally found in multi-use areas, outside the national park.
There is no human settlement inside the park. Besides the two main cities, i.e. Dargaz (Iran) and Ashgabat (the capital of Turkmenistan) near our study area (
The main prey species for leopards include urial Ovis orientalis, bezoar goat Capra aegagrus, and wild pig Sus scrofa. The availability of leopard prey in Tandoureh is affected by the national park boundaries. Wild medium-sized prey are available only inside the park, whereas domestic animals are found exclusively outside the park. The only exceptions are wild pigs, which are occasionally found in multi-use areas, outside the national park.
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