India, March 29 -- As the Iran-Israel-US war continues and the global spotlight remains fixed on the West Asian country, Down To Earth decided to cast the spotlight on Iran's leopards, which have for centuries, been a recurring motif in culture, mythology, folklore and poetry.

The leopard is not the only big cat that Iran has been or was home to. The Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo leo, formerly called Panthera leo persica) called Shir in Farsi and the Caspian tiger (Panthera tigris virgata) called Babr in Farsi have inhabited the land, as has the famous Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus), called Yuz in Farsi.

But the Persian leopard (Panthera pardus tulliana or Panthera pardus saxicolor), called Palang in Farsi, is a great survivo...