How a Kurdish conservationist is protecting a rare leopard in northern Iraq

High in the mountains of northeastern Iraq’s Kurdistan region, wildlife conservationist Hana Ahmed Raza and a team of researchers with the non-governmental organization Nature Iraq are working to protect the ghostlike Persian leopard.

A sub-species of the broader family of leopards roaming across Africa and Asia, the Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) numbers between 800 and 1,000 individuals, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is under threat due to poaching, habitat loss and fragmentation, and diminishing prey.

Why is this particular species of leopard so important? As Raza points out in the video, “The Persian leopard is the only remaining predator in the [Kurdistan] ecosystem,” and the health of the ecosystem depends on the presence of large predators to thrive.

[fraidoonw]

Hana, bravo! Thanks, you're doing a wonderful job! We are lost without Nature and Wild life.May all leopards and wild animals be safe there!

[محمد-ضصخ]

Proud of u ..u r a hero all Iraqi environment lover is proud of u ..don’t give up .

[Keyhan-cc]

Greetings from Iran, we need to save them we really love them, lets not let what happened to the caspian tiger to persian leopards, i pray and stay positive and motivated guys we gonna make it 😇🥰

[baba_jab]

But those mountains have wolves & bear also.

[lasotahir]

Leopard is not the only predator left in Kurdistan of Iraq, we have also Wolvea

[Bamerni]

Which mountain in kurdistan is that???

[rickstar]

With the caspian tiger and persian lion gone it's up to the Persian leopard to maintain the ecosystem

[pasha]

why Iraqian leopard, persian leopard, why northeastern Iraqi KURDISTAN? why not KURDISTAN? you are in KURDISTAN//// Har 4 parche 4 EVER//// Har serkewto bit. har bjit.