25% of Animal Sale Advertisements in Iran Concern Prohibited Species

The head of Iran's Environmental Protection Organization states that "25%" of species advertised for sale in Iran are endangered. Shina Ansari wrote in a note on Friday, January 4, that "25% of the species advertised for sale are listed as prohibited in international trade by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)." In her note, Ansari mentioned that "advertisements on social media" have contributed to the promotion of animal trafficking, stating that "wildlife trafficking has become one of the biggest threats to the country's biodiversity." The head of the Environmental Protection Organization further stated that the sale of "all animal species in Iran is illegal," noting that everything from lion cubs to pythons and Iranian squirrels to various reptiles and birds are illegally bought and sold in Iran. She continued by stating that keeping Iranian squirrels at home not only reduces the population of this species but also leads to the destruction of the Zagros forests, with some people setting fire to or cutting down forest trees to capture these squirrels. According to Shima Ansari, based on research from the Research Center of the Parliament, factors such as "financial need," "entertainment," "superstitions," and "ignorance" are considered the main reasons for wildlife trafficking in the country. While the head of the Environmental Protection Organization criticizes the sale and advertisement of endangered animals, a video surfaced last week showing former wrestler Amir Ali Akbari playing with a lion cub, which received significant negative reactions on social media. Despite this, the Environmental Protection Organization did not take action to retrieve the lion cub but only filed a complaint, and this athlete, who also has a doping history, was introduced as a volunteer collaborator with the organization in the presence of the commander of the Environmental Protection Unit. The head of the Environmental Protection Organization did not address this issue in her weekly note and did not explain how her organization dealt with Mr. Ali Akbari. Many Iranian species and their habitats are at risk of extinction due to mismanagement and the authorities' negligence towards existing problems. An official from the Environmental Department in Iran announced last June, coinciding with "World Biodiversity Day," that the "rate of biodiversity extinction" in the country has increased "hundreds of times" compared to the past two centuries, and in some plant and animal species, it has increased "thousands of times."