Iran has a rich wild life including flora and fauna. Everyone would surely know that Asiatic cheetah is the representative of Iran's wild life.
More than one-tenth of country is forested, and about 8`200 species of plants are grown there. The land covered by Iran's natural flora is four times larger than the Europe's.
According to FAO reports, the major types of forests that exist in Iran and their relevant areas are: Caspian forests, Limestone mountainous forests, Pistachio forests, Oak forests, Shrubs of Dasht-e Kavir and Sub-tropical forests.
There are also numerous species of wild and domestic animals like: bears, gazelles, wild pigs, wolves, jackals, panthers, Eurasian lynx, and foxes. Domestic animals include, sheep, goats, cattle, horses, water buffalo, donkeys, and camels. The pheasant, partridge, stork, eagles and falconer also native to Iran.
Asiatic cheetah, Caspian seal, Persian fallow deer, Siberian white crane, hawksbill turtle, green turtle, Oxus cobra, Latifi's viper, dugong, Persian leopard, Caspian Sea wolf, and dolphins are endangered animals living in Iran. The Persian leopard is said to be the largest of all the subspecies of leopards in the World.
Asiatic cheetah also known as Iranian cheetah, is an endangered subspecies of cheetah surviving only in Iran today. Asiatic cheetah mainly lives the desert areas around Dasht-e Kavir in the eastern half of Iran, including parts of Kerman, Khorasan, Semnan, Yazd, Tehran, and Markazi provinces. Most live in five protected areas, viz Kavir National Park, Touran National Park, Bafq Protected Area, Dar-e Anjir Wildlife Refuge, and Nayband Wildlife Reserve.