Golestan National Park

Road 22, in the middle of the Golestan Jungle

Golestan National Park (Persian: پارک ملی گلستان‎), commonly known as the Golestan Jungle (جنگل گلستان), is an Iranian National Park in Golestan Province, northeastern Iran.

Geography

The park is located in the eastern Alborz (Elburs) Mountains range and the western edge of the Kopet Dag range. It comprises 91,890 ha.[2] Elevations in the park range from 1,000–1,400 metres (3,300–4,600 ft) above sea level.

Ecology

Golestan National Park has a variety of habitats, such as temperate broad leaf forests, grasslands, shrublands and rocky areas.[3][4] The diverse flora includes stands of white Eremurus kopetdaghensis, Iris acutiloba subsp. lineolata and Iris kopetdagensis.[5]

The fauna is very rich and consists of Persian leopards (Panthera pardus ciscaucasica), Indian wolves (Canis lupus pallipes), brown bear (Ursus arctos), Jackal (Canis aureus), wild boars (Sus scrofa), maral deer (Cervus elaphus maral), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), urial (Ovis ammon arkali), wild goats (Capra aegagrus) and goitered gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa).[6][7][8]

Extinct

A Caspian tiger killed in northern Iran, early 1940's.

Iran's last known tigers had occurred in this area, before 1960.[9][10][11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Directory".
  2. ↑ Iranian Tourism & Touring Online (ITTO)
  3. ↑ Nosrat Safaian, Maryam Shokri, Mikhalegh Ziatabar Ahmadi, Abdolnaser Atrakchali, Ali Tavili: Fire Influence on the Grassland Vegetation in Golestan National Park (Alborz Mts. iran) Polish Journal of Ecology. 53 1 435–443. 2005 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-12-13. Retrieved 2012-10-06. [online-PDF]
  4. ↑ UNESCO – World Heritage; Ref.5213
  5. ↑ Basak Gardner & Chris Gardner Flora of the Silk Road: The Complete Illustrated Guide, p. 173, at Google Books
  6. ↑ Waraste, Moradi H.: Population Dynamism of the Bovidae in Golestan National Park. Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Fall 2004; 11(3):163–172
  7. ↑ Waraste, Moradi H.: Determination of Sex Ratio and Age Groups in Two Species Cervus Elaphus and Capreolus in Golestan National Park Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. October–November 2005; 12(4):154–161.
  8. ↑ Meigouni, H.G., Jahanshahi, M.; Kavoosi, K.; Kiabi B.H.: A Study on Herbivorous Habits of Wild Pig (Sus Scrofa) In Golestand National Park. Journal of Environmental Studies. March 2003; 28(30):55−64.
  9. ↑ Geptner, V. G., Sludskij, A. A. (1972). Mlekopitajuščie Sovetskogo Soiuza. Vysšaia Škola, Moskva. (In Russian; English translation: Heptner, V.G., Sludskii, A. A., Komarov, A., Komorov, N.; Hoffmann, R. S. (1992). Mammals of the Soviet Union. Vol III: Carnivores (Feloidea). Smithsonian Institution and the National Science Foundation, Washington DC).
  10. ↑ Humphreys, P., Kahrom, E. (1999). Lion and Gazelle: The Mammals and Birds of Iran. Images Publishing, Avon.
  11. ↑ Firouz, E. (2005). The complete fauna of Iran. I. B. Tauris. pp. 66–67. ISBN 978-1-85043-946-2.

Coordinates: 37°32′51″N 56°22′57″E / 37.547527°N 56.382423°E / 37.547527; 56.382423

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