Environmental Protection Organization Announces Cause of Death for Damavand Leopard as 'Corona'

The Environmental Protection Organization reported that the Damavand leopard died 'due to contracting feline coronavirus,' while previous reports indicated that the leopard had been captured with 'facial injuries and infections from a fight.' On Wednesday, February 6, the Iran newspaper website quoted Babak Bastani, a veterinarian at the Pardisan Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, stating that the leopard's condition worsened from February 1 and that it 'could not withstand the coronavirus and died this morning (Wednesday).' According to this veterinarian, a 'veterinary committee' was formed to treat the Damavand leopard, which included 'veterinarians with various specialties' to implement a 'treatment method with an 84-day period.' Despite a 'relative improvement' in the first 30 days, the leopard's condition became 'severely critical' from February 1. He noted that the leopard exhibited 'serious neurological symptoms' and 'refused to eat food and medication,' prompting the committee to decide to 'make fundamental changes in the treatment process,' but it died on Wednesday. Gholam-Reza Abdali, the director of the Wildlife Protection and Management Office of the Environmental Protection Organization, stated that although the treatment process for the Damavand leopard was continuing 'seriously,' specialists had little hope for its survival. Meanwhile, Iman Memarian, a wildlife veterinarian, had previously told the Shargh newspaper that 'if the disease was correctly diagnosed and if it truly had coronavirus, with appropriate medications, the chance of treatment is nearly 100 percent.' While officials have announced the cause of death for this rare wildlife species in Iran as 'corona,' previous reports from the Shargh newspaper indicated that this large animal was 'injured in the face and even infected due to a fight with another animal' at the time of capture. The Damavand leopard, which was captured on December 29 in the village of Moghanak in Damavand County, was reported dead on Wednesday in Iranian media, and it was about five to seven years old and male. Last year, the death of Pirouz, the famous Iranian cub, made headlines. According to pathology and autopsy reports, the cub's death was due to 'ingesting a small piece of plastic,' and many observers, including Prince Reza Pahlavi, attributed Pirouz's death to the 'incompetence and malice' of the Islamic Republic. Also see: Reactions to Pirouz's death; Prince Reza Pahlavi: It is due to the incompetence and malice of the regime.