Gando Protected Area

Gando Protected Area is located in the southeast of Sistan and Baluchestan Province. It covers 456,000 hectares, most of which lies in Bahu Kalat District of Dashtiari County, with a smaller part in Rask County. The southern boundary of the area is the coast of the Sea of Oman, and the eastern boundary is the Pakistan border. This is the only place in Iran where the gando, Iran's only native crocodile, lives.

The area has been protected since 1970 (1349 SH) under the name Bahu Kalat Protected Area, and in 1982 (1361 SH) it was renamed after its most important native animal, the "gando". Gandos live in the Bahu Kalat River, in the Kajoo and Sarbaz rivers, which flow into the Bahu Kalat, and in the Pishin Dam lake. Some of them also live in the many ponds of the area, including the ponds of Firuzabad, Kalani, Shirgavaz, Delgan, Dargas, Hoot Kat, Azadi, Palangi, Jangal, Pir Sohrab, Bahu Kalat and Kohir Boz. Besides the gando, many other animals live in this area, including the caracal, the goitered gazelle, the Baluchistan squirrel, the monitor lizard, the Bengal monitor, the jackal, the fox, and birds such as the grey-legged water bird, the imperial eagle, gulls, various falcons, the houbara bustard, the francolin, and various kinds of pigeons and doves. The southern edge of the area, the coast of the Sea of Oman, is also one of the main nesting sites of the green sea turtle.

If you would like to see the short-snouted crocodiles and visit their main habitat, after reaching Chabahar you should head to Gando Protected Area, the surrounding ponds and the Sarbaz River. It is worth knowing that gandos are most densely concentrated near the dam, so this is where you are most likely to see them. Among the most important places where gandos can be found are the Sarbaz River, Azadi Pond, Dargas Pond, Jangal Pond and others. It should be said that these crocodiles are much easier to see in the dark, at night, than during the day. At night the crocodiles are less afraid because of the darkness and quiet, and you can see them on land, where they are much easier to spot and identify. Please note that the gando is currently endangered, and any harm done to them carries heavy fines.