Kalmand Protected Area

The Kalmand-Bahadoran Protected Area in Yazd Province is one of the most pristine and valuable desert ecosystems in Iran. It spreads across the counties of Mehriz, Bafq and Yazd. With its arid, desert climate, the area contains sandy hills, wide plains and scattered mountains, and provides a safe habitat for rare animal species. Its distinctive geographic position, climatic diversity and limited water resources make it a challenging place to live, yet also a truly unique one.

The dense native vegetation of the area provides a valuable habitat for species such as the goitered gazelle, the Persian onager, the chinkara, the houbara bustard, the sand fox and the caracal. The significant population of Persian gazelles has made this area one of the most important habitats of the species in the country. The area's key role in the Persian onager restoration programs and in protecting threatened birds such as the houbara bustard further adds to its ecological importance. Relative security and suitable natural food sources have made migration and breeding possible for these species here.

Protecting the Kalmand-Bahadoran area is vitally important, not only because of the rare animal species living there, but also because of its great environmental fragility. Human activities such as illegal hunting and the destruction of vegetation can have irreparable effects on this habitat. For this reason, the area is managed by the Yazd Provincial Department of Environment, and entering it without a permit is prohibited. The best time to visit this valuable ecosystem is autumn and early spring, when the weather is milder and the chances of seeing wildlife increase.