A leopard was shot dead in the northern Iranian city of Ghaemshahr on Sunday after attacking and injuring a policeman, state media reported.

The endangered big cat "was killed by two bullets to save the life of the police officer," said Moslem Ahangari, head of the Mazandaran province Environmental Protection Unit, according to the IRNA news agency.

The health of the police officer was reported to be "stable," it added.

Earlier, the province's environment protection spokesman, Kamyar Valipur, had reported that the leopard had "attacked and injured a policeman before fleeing towards a garden", IRNA reported.

The leopard was then taken to a wildlife centre but died of the gunshot wounds.

A video posted on social media shows the leopard crouched on the city street outside a bank. Panicked, the animal jumps a few seconds later, and flees.

The inhabitants are seen terrified, screaming and running in all directions, according to the images.

According to the IRNA agency, the province's environment department is investigating whether the animal entered the city from forested areas or was being illegally kept in a local household.

Persian leopards are listed as an endangered species on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

They are a panther sub-species native to Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and the Caucasus. Fewer than 1,000 are believed to exist in the wild, with another 200 in captivity.

Many wild animals, including wolves and foxes, have been seen in urban areas in Iran in recent weeks, according to Hamshahri, the daily newspaper of Tehran's municipality.

The newspaper notably reported the sighting of a bear in the southern town of Marvdasht and a wolf attack on two elderly women in Khalkhal, northwest Iran.

Related Links
Darwin Today At TerraDaily.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Ecotourism giving rare iguanas a sweet tooth
Paris (AFP) April 21, 2022
Ecotourists feeding grapes to rock iguanas on remote islands in the Bahamas have given them a sweet tooth and high blood sugar, researchers said Thursday, warning of unknown effects on the health of the vulnerable reptiles. Northern Bahamian rock iguanas living on the Exuma Islands are so hooked on the tasty tourist treats that they rush to the beaches when they hear boats approaching. "For a tour operator it was a wonderful way to ensure that you would be able to see these animals and people w ... read more