Tehran, YJC. Luristani Shepherd whose 44 sheep were torn dead by leopard has turned down the government’s sum of money to be used to launch a local environment protection headquarters.
Head of Iran’s Environment and Wildlife Watch said that
Nowruz Heydari, shepherd from Luristan, turned down the government’s offer in
cash as compensation for a wildlife accident which wasted his herd.
Around six months ago a leopard killed 44 of Nowruz’s herd. Instead
of killing the leopard, Nowruz let go of it for his love of wildlife.
As an appreciation for his wildlife-friendly job, the local
government decided to compensate for the Nowruz’s loss.
As he was invited to the Luristan Environment Organization, Nowruz
returned a check worth Rls11 million, donating it to the foundation of an
environment watch headquarters for the Hashtad Pahloo mountains where he lives.
"There are rare species in our area such as the Luristani
salamander, the Iran cave barb, leopard, and caracal. But there is no environment
watch headquarters, which leaves the area unprotected,” Heydari said.
Luristan Director General of Environment Protection Organization
has said "While the payment document and the check were prepared, Nowruz
Heydari said that he would not receive any compensation from the government.”
He added "Nowruz Heydari only asked his words to be taken to
the President and Mrs. Ebtekar [Head of Iran’s Environment Protection
Organization] and said ‘I only ask for protection facilities and headquarters
to be founded in Hashtad Pahloo so that the environment of our birthplace may
be preserved.’”