In an area with a high density of rivers and other water resources, the Dohezar–Sehezar No Hunting Area is located in northern Iran’s Mazandaran province within the Caspian, or Hyrcanian, forest on the northern slopes of the Alborz mountains. With an area of at least 760 km2, it consists of a mix of rocky montane and forest lowlands, with altitudes ranging from 380 to 4,850 m and annual precipitation of 1,200 mm. The mean temperature ranges from 8 to 26°C in the coldest and warmest months, respectively.
The area has recently received official protection as a designated No Hunting Area. Persian ibex, maral (or Caspian) red deer, roe deer and wild pig are the main ungulates present in the area. Persian leopard and brown bear are two large carnivores that range in the area, along with smaller Eurasian lynx, jungle cat, stone marten, pine marten, etc. Together with its southern counterpart in the Alborz range, the Alamut mountains, the area forms one of the largest hotspots for many of the aforementioned species, particularly the Persian leopard. Most of the area hosts herding communities who use different pastures on a seasonal basis, normally at higher elevations above 2,000 m during summertime, migrating to lower elevations with the first rains in late summer. Sheep and goat are dominant in the highlands, while cattle are kept around lowland villages, all subject to occasional conflict with carnivores.
