A Rare Pallas's Cat in North Khorasan Was 'Killed' Instead of Being Captured Alive

The IRNA news agency reports that a rare Pallas's cat discovered two months ago in Shirvan, North Khorasan, died due to 'fatal mistakes' by the local environmental department. On Wednesday, October 10, the state news agency referred to the actions of the Shirvan environmental department as 'killing' and quoted an informed source stating that this Pallas's cat was captured and placed in a cage in a 'clumsy' and 'unprofessional' manner at the direction of the department head, leading to its death after a few days. According to the report, 'poor living conditions', 'inadequate nutrition', and 'stress and pressure' caused the animal's death. Meanwhile, the head of the Shirvan environmental department attributed the death of this endangered cat to 'physical weakness'. On October 7, Meysam Bagheri stated in an interview with IRNA that 'the Pallas's cat died after 12 days despite the care provided by this department.' A few days after the cat's death and in response to environmentalists, IRNA reported that the animal was captured from its habitat 'without any reason' and separated from its environment, an action that should have been 'conducted under specific conditions and with the necessary permits'. However, the environmental department placed the cat 'in a bird cage after capture, and the small size of the cage door harmed the animal'. The report also states: 'Due to the stress, the animal refused to eat for the first few days but showed signs of recovery afterward; in this situation, it was suggested that this beautiful cat be released back into its habitat, but the Shirvan director opposed this as well.' According to IRNA, this endangered cat 'waited for the presence of an expert from Tehran' and ultimately died due to 'prolonged captivity'. The Pallas's cat is one of eight wild cat species currently in Iran, known as 'the most beautiful wild cat in Iran', with its range in the country being very limited and its population facing extinction. This is not the first time that responsible organizations and individuals in Iran's environmental sector have been accused of causing the death of an endangered feline. In one of the most notable cases, the death of 'Pirouz', the last cub from three born to a female cheetah named 'Iran' in March 2023, faced widespread criticism from social media users. Some officials later admitted to the negligence of those responsible for the breeding and care that led to the death of these three cheetah cubs. The environmental organization was accused of nine months of concealment regarding the status of 'Pirouz'.