Russia, Iran swap tigers, leopards
Sunday, 25 April 2010
TEHRAN, Apr 24 (AFP): Russia has delivered two wild Siberian tigers to Iran in a swap deal in which Moscow has procured two Persian leopards, the official IRNA news agency reported Saturday.
The swap on Friday was agreed earlier this year during a visit of Russian Natural Resources Minister Yury Trutneve to Tehran.
By procuring the Siberian tigers, Tehran hopes to re-introduce the species some 50 years after its extinction in the country.
"In order to re-introduce the species, two Siberian tigers were brought from Russia, including a pregnant tigress expected to deliver a cub in two months," said Mohammad Javad Mohammadizadeh, head of Iran's environmental body.
The swap on Friday was agreed earlier this year during a visit of Russian Natural Resources Minister Yury Trutneve to Tehran.
By procuring the Siberian tigers, Tehran hopes to re-introduce the species some 50 years after its extinction in the country.
"In order to re-introduce the species, two Siberian tigers were brought from Russia, including a pregnant tigress expected to deliver a cub in two months," said Mohammad Javad Mohammadizadeh, head of Iran's environmental body.