A cheetah cub died of kidney failure in a nature reserve in Iran, a loss noted by Tasnim, quoting IRNA on the incident.
Piruz, a cheetah born as one of a litter in a northeastern wildlife sanctuary, was the sole survivor after the other two cubs did not reach adulthood. He passed away in May 2022 while under care at a wildlife facility, after being moved to the Central Veterinary Hospital for treatment when kidney failure was detected. The hospital reported that he underwent dialysis as part of the effort to save his life, but the efforts could not prevent the decline.
Omid Moradi, the manager of the hospital, expressed sympathy for Piruz and the veterinary team, noting the sadness felt by staff and the disappointment over not being able to save the young animal. The statement reflected the challenging realities of wildlife medicine, where even with advanced care, outcomes can be uncertain in critically ill young cheetahs.
Conservation data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, updated in 2017, indicated that the Asian cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, remains a critically endangered subspecies, with roughly 50 adults still living in Iran. This subspecies once ranged across a broad area from eastern India to the western coast of Africa, but it has experienced steep declines in most of its historic range.
The cheetah holds the title of the fastest land animal, capable of reaching speeds near 120 kilometers per hour. Its historical range extended from the eastern parts of India to the Atlantic shores of Senegal, and while some populations persist in southern Africa, the species has largely vanished from North Africa and much of Asia. In Iran and neighboring regions, conservationists have continued their efforts to protect the remaining cheetah population and its habitat, despite ongoing pressures from habitat loss and human activity.
Since the early 2000s, Iran has pursued several measures aimed at safeguarding the Asian cheetah, including participation in UN-backed conservation programs and the development of protected areas. The government has designated spaces to shield the cheetah and its prey, offering refuges that support both the predator and the ecosystem it inhabits. Notable protected zones include Kavir National Park, Turan National Park, and Naibandan Wildlife Sanctuary, each playing a role in monitoring populations, supporting genetic diversity, and enabling researchers to study the cheetah in a controlled environment.