Nima Pouyan Shad’s scientific contributions

An orphaned male Syrian brown bear (Ursus arctos syriacus) was found in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, Iran. The cub was transferred to Tehran zoo and in the third year, signs of anorexia, dysphagia, coughing, regurgitation, emaciation and lethargy were seen. Under general anesthesia with the combination of tiletamine, zolazepam and medetomidine, the patient was examined. CBC demonstrated leukocytosis with grade 2 toxic changes of neutrophils. By auscultation, crackle sound was suggestive of regurgitation and aspiration pneumonia. In radiographic examination, esophageal strip sign was seen in the esophagus indicative of generalized megaesophagus. Mild increased opacity of the left cranial lung lobe could be suggestive of mild pneumonia. Considering the aspiration pneumonia, antibiotic therapy by ceftiofur and marbofloxacin was done. For stimulation of gastrointestinal tract motility, metoclopramide and domperidone have been started. After 3 weeks, in endoscopic examination, esophageal dilation and several ulcerative lesions were additionally seen. Exploratory laparotomy was performed and during the surgery pyloric stenosis assumed to be, so partial gastrotomy has been done, pyloric sphincter has been removed and anastomosed to duodenum. Due to gastric dilation and risk of volvulus and torsion, gastropexy was performed. After two months the clinical signs were still existed and irreversible, so it was euthanized. Gross necropsy findings demonstrated esophageal dilation, hepatization of lungs and ulceration of the esophagus and stomach. In microscopic findings, ulcerative gastroenteritis, esophagitis and extension of muscles of the stomach were seen.

The present report documents eight cases of Persian leopards (P. p. saxicolor, recently revised as P. p. tulliana) in the course of the last 7 years being caught accidentally in sanares or gin traps that were set by local people against wild boars (Sus scrofa) or less frequently jungle cat (Felis chaus). It details the type and diversity of lesions resulting from these trapping methods, and inform a broader audience about the newly reported threat posed by snares and gin traps to leopards in Iran. Five of these leopards died as result of severe injuries, two of them were rescued and survived albeit disabled and one animal could be released to the wild. These cases reveal the growing problem, of habitat disturbance and loss for leopard and their natural prey in the Alborz mountain range and Caspian lowlands of Iran.

We report on six cases of snare and gin trap captures of free-ranging Persian leopards Panthera pardus tulliana in northern Iran between 2012 and 2017. Three of these leopards died as result of severe injuries, the three others were rescued, one survived albeit disabled, two could be released to the wild but one of them died less than two months after release. These captures were unintentional, and resulted from snares and gin trap being deployed illegally by farmers to rid their crops and chickencoop from wild boars Sus scrofa (5) and possibly jackals Canis aureus / jungle cats Felis chaus (1), respectively. These cases reveal the growing problem of habitat disturbance and loss for leopard and their natural prey in the Alborz mountain range and Caspian lowlands of Iran.