TEHRAN, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Endangered cheetahs in Iran are the last remaining survivors of a unique, ancient Asian subspecies, Austrian genetics experts say.
Scientists from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna say DNA comparisons show the Asiatic cheetahs split 30,000 years ago from other cheetahs that live in Africa, the BBC reported Monday.
Cheetahs formerly existed in 44 countries in Africa but are now only found in 29. Researchers say Iran's cheetahs must be saved to protect the future of all cheetahs.
"The implications of our discovery are that the confirmation of the subspecies is a basis for future conservation management," researcher Pamela Burger said. "If the aim is to conserve this biodiversity, subspecies should not be mixed."
With fewer than 100 individual animals, and with less than half of those having reached mature breeding age, Iran's cheetahs have been classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List.
Conservationists say they worry time is running out for Iran's cheetahs.
"We have been successful in stabilizing numbers in Iran but we still have a long way to go before we can consider this unique sub-species secure," says Alireza Jourabchian, Director of the Conservation of the Asiatic Cheetah Program in Iran.
