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Marita Does Not Breathe Anymore

Tehran, Feb 2, 2004- Marita, the only captive Iranian cheetah in the world died in Pardisan Park, Tehran.

According to Pardisan authorities, due to respiration collapse Marita died after more than 9 years living alone at her large enclosure. She as the Iranian Cheetah Ambassador played a remarkable role through ICS Outreach Educational Programs to increase awareness among the people (Marita's last image- photo right).

Born in spring 1994 in Bafq Protected Area, Marita and her two sisters accompanied by their mother came near the city of Bafq to drink water on August 31, 1994. Unfortunately, the animals were seized by some local people. The mother run away, her two sisters killed and she was captured and brought to Tehran (read full story at Just Kids).

Over the past 9 years, the Iranian Department of the Environment (DOE) could not bring a mate for the female Ambassador to launch a captive-breeding program, because it was believed that the animal number is consisted of some fragmented populations around the Iranian Desert which capturing a male from the wild may means removing a potential genetic source from a population. Accordingly, all the efforts were concentrated to improve conservational measures inside the cheetah reserves.

Marita was completely well-known among the Iranian people as well as overseas and could attract public attention toward the gloomy future of this creature in the country. ICS has produced various educational materials to introduce Marita to kids and youths and they could meet her at her enclosure via ICS educational programs. Stuffed Marita is going to be prepared to be exhibited in DOE Museum (photo above left), however, she is always alive and alerts the people to help to save the cheetahs in the wild.