Lake Parishan#The Protected Zone of Arzhan and Parishan

{{Short description|Lake in Fars province, Iran}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}

{{Infobox body of water

| name = Lake Parishan

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| image = درياچه پريشان parishan lake - panoramio.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Lake Parishan

| pushpin_map = Iran

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| coordinates = {{coord|29|30|21|N|51|48|12|E|region:IR|display=inline,title}}{{Cite web |title=Parishan Lake |url=https://www.iranontrip.ir/page/en-340/Parishan-Lake&ved=2ahUKEwi0z7CpivOLAxUSrlYBHc4rGg4QFnoECEUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw18ioGa4BCBGfOi8-AWCKvg |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=www.iranontrip.ir}}

| type = Lake

| inflow = rain

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| outflow = none

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| length =

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| area = {{convert|266.5|sqm}}

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| elevation = {{convert|820|m}}

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| cities = Jereh and Baladeh, Fars province, Iran

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| embedded = {{Infobox mapframe |wikidata=yes |zoom=11 |coord=|29|30|21|N|51|48|12|E| {{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}}

{{Designation list

| designation1 = Ramsar

| designation1_offname = Lake Parishan and Dasht-e-Arjan

| designation1_date = 23 June 1975

| designation1_number = 37{{Cite web|title=Lake Parishan and Dasht-e-Arjan|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/37|access-date=25 April 2018}}}}}}

Lake Parishan (Persian: دریاچه پریشان) is a lake in Iran. The Parishan Lake is in Jereh and Baladeh District in Fars province and is the largest freshwater lake in the country.{{cite web|url=http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sites/index.html?action=SitHTMDetails.asp&sid=8136&m=0/|title=Dasht-e Arjan and Lake Parishan (Important Birds Areas of Iran, Islamic Republic of)|access-date=2010-09-08|publisher=BirdLife International}} It receives very small amount of water from feeder rivers and the whole lake or wetland is a protected area, as it is considered a globally significant wetland ecosystem.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwt.org.uk/our-work/wetland-link-international-wli/wli-site-profiles/asia/iranian-wetlands-conservation-project-lake-urmia-and-lake-parishan|title=Iranian Wetlands Conservation Project – Lake Urmia and Lake Parishan – Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT)|access-date=2010-09-08|publisher=WWT|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205024030/http://wwt.org.uk/our-work/wetland-link-international-wli/wli-site-profiles/asia/iranian-wetlands-conservation-project-lake-urmia-and-lake-parishan|archive-date=2010-12-05}} Another lake in this area is that of Arzan.{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20120222194641/http://www.irantour.org/Iran/city/FARS.html FARS Geography and History]}} The whole protected area is called "Arzhan National Park."{{cite book |last1=Humphreys, P. |last2=Kahrom, E. |year=1999 |title=Lion and Gazelle: The Mammals and Birds of Iran |publisher=Images Publishing |location=Avon |isbn=978-0951397763 |chapter=Lion |pages=77–80 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=esV0hccod0kC&pg=PP1}}{{cite book |last=Firouz |first=E. |year=2005 |chapter=Lion |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t2EZCScFXloC&pg=PA65 |title=The complete fauna of Iran |publisher=I. B. Tauris |location=London, New York |isbn=978-1-85043-946-2 |page=65}} This area is an important sanctuary for birds.

In the past, the Asiatic lion used to occur in this place, besides other parts of Iran. Nowadays, in the wilderness of Eurasia, the only members of this race of lions occur in and around Gir Forest, in Kathiawar Peninsula, India.{{Cite book |last1=Heptner |first1=V. G. |last2=Sludskii |first2=A. A. |orig-year=1972 |year=1992 |title=Mlekopitajuščie Sovetskogo Soiuza. Moskva: Vysšaia Škola |trans-title=Mammals of the Soviet Union, Volume II, Part 2 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution and the National Science Foundation |location=Washington DC |chapter=Lion |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/mammalsofsov221992gept#page/82/mode/2up |pages=83–95 |isbn=978-90-04-08876-4}}{{cite journal |url=http://www.dbs.nus.edu.sg/lab/cons-lab/documents/Singh_Gibson_Biol_Cons_2011.pdf |title=A conservation success story in the otherwise dire megafauna extinction crisis: The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) of Gir forest |author=Singh, H. S. |author2=Gibson, L. |year=2011 |journal=Biological Conservation |volume=144 |issue=5 |pages=1753–1757 |doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2011.02.009|bibcode=2011BCons.144.1753S }} A plan in 1977 to introduce Gir lions to the area around the lake did not eventually materialize. This area includes the village of Arzhan, and is of agricultural importance, and bringing in lions would mean setting aside farmland, and settling farmers elsewhere. This happens to be a reason why it is difficult to reintroduce lions from Gir Forest to another place within India.{{cite book |author=Johnsingh, A.J.T. |year=2006 |title= Field Days: A Naturalist's Journey Through South and Southeast Asia |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EU3inCiGFYYC&pg=PA126|chapter= Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary ready to play second home to Asiatic lions? |publisher=Universities Press |location=Hyderabad |isbn=8173715521 |pages= 126–138}} Nevertheless, Iran's intention to restore its population of lions would continue into the 21st century,{{cite web |author=Dey, A. |title=Rajasthan to be home for cheetahs |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-07-26/flora-fauna/28154728_1_cheetahs-fastest-animal-wild-fowls |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024093921/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-07-26/flora-fauna/28154728_1_cheetahs-fastest-animal-wild-fowls |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-10-24 |date=16 July 2009 |work=The Times of India |access-date=2009-08-09}}{{cite web |author=Khosravifard, S. |url=http://www.payvand.com/news/10/may/1232.html |title=Russia, Iran exchange tigers for leopards but some experts express doubts |publisher=Payvand News |date=22 May 2010 |access-date=6 August 2011 |archive-date=15 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201015102253/http://www.payvand.com/news/10/may/1232.html |url-status=dead }} and in February 2019, Iran obtained a male named 'Kamran' from Bristol Zoo in the United Kingdom,{{cite news |last=Amlashi |first=Hamid |title=Return To Motherland: Asiatic lion returns to Iran after 80 years |work=Tehran Times |url=http://www.payvand.com/news/19/may/1005.html |date=5 February 2019 |access-date=2019-10-14 |archive-date=10 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200110082244/http://www.payvand.com/news/19/may/1005.html |url-status=dead }} followed in June by the acquisition of a female named 'Eilda' from Dublin Zoo in Ireland, and lodged them at Tehran Zoological Garden in a bid to reproduce and reintroduce lions in the wild.{{cite news |publisher=Iran Front Page |title=From Dublin to Tehran: Persian Lioness Joins Male Companion |url=https://ifpnews.com/from-dublin-to-tehran-persian-lioness-joins-male-companion |date=4 June 2019 |access-date=2019-10-14}}

File:Antoin Sevruguin 7 Men with live lion.jpg, {{circa|1880}}]]