Kalmand Protected Area

Kalmand-Bahadoran is one of the most important protected areas of Iran due to rare animals, especially the Bustard Bird. It is located in Yazd province.

In the year 1354, in the Kalmand-Bahadoran area, the officers of the area observed Bustard's chicks (this migratory bird is so rare and is exposed to extinction). Due to the presence of other unique species, recorded the protected area and hunting was banned there. This area is 229,000 hectares, located 40 kilometers southeast of Yazd.

More than half of this protected area is plain, and the other part is on impassable height, hills, foothills.

• Kalmand area: Kalmand has a gentle slope in terms of natural and high elevations.
• Bahadoran area: Bahadoran formed by flat areas and plains. The other part of the Bahadoran is covered by mountain ranges and valleys.

• Animal species

There are many various and rare species of birds, mammals, and reptiles in this protected area. There are also different plant species in this area.

• Mammals

In this region, 24 species of mammal identified. The most important species such as asiatic cheetah, leopard, caracal, pallas cat, hyena, wolf, blanford's fox and... have a higher conservation value than other species. Except for these valuable species, in this region, there are goitered gazelle, chinkara and wild goat, ram, ewe, fox, rüppell's fox, jackal, porcupine, rabbit, persian onager (in captivity). The protected area of Kalmand except all its features has a unique feature, that is, the existence of the Persian onager reproduction and training range is protected in this area.

• Birds

The Kalmand-Bahadoran area is one of the unique species of birds. A total of 48 bird species has been identified, with a variety of birds in this dry and desert area is interested. Kite, long-legged buzzard, Bonelli's eagle, eastern imperial eagle, griffon vulture, saker falcon, falcon, Barbary falcon, and kestrel are valuable birds that watched in this habitat.

• Reptiles and amphibians

A total of 13 species of amphibian and reptile species identified in the protected area of Kalmand-Bahadoran. This area has an amphibian species, a turtle species, and five lizard species and six species of snakes. The lack of water resources in the region caused the amphibians to have very little diversity in the area, and only the marsh frog lives in this area. The greek tortoise is also the only species of turtle identified in this area.

• What is the best time to go?

Yazd is one of the warmest cities of Iran in the summer and has long summers, which are usually from early June to early October. The best time to travel to Yazd in terms of weather is from early March to early April, with very mild air.

• Getting there?

This area is located in the city of Mehriz. Its northern border is near the city of Mehriz, and also the southern border of the region approaches the boundaries of Kerman. Kalmand is 20 km from Mehriz city and 50 km from the center of the province. From the Yazd city to the protected area of Kalmand are an hour and twenty minutes on the way by car. You can use the Mehriz-َAnar highway to get to this area.