From hunting to commerce: An analysis of wildlife skin exports in Iran during the First Pahlavi Era

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qaemshahr Branch, QaS.C., Islamic Azad University, Qaemshahr, Iran.

10.22091/ethc.2025.13040.1062

Abstract

Objective: This study analyzes Iran's wildlife skin exports during the First Pahlavi era, with a focus on documents from the official Journal of the Chamber of Commerce.
Methods: Using a descriptive-analytical methodology and data examination, the study investigates exported animal species, trade volume and value, and the geographical patterns of the commerce. 
Results: The findings show that 17 key wildlife species in the export inventory were exported from 60 cities, and there was a complex commercial network structured around an urban hierarchy: Tehran and Isfahan served as primary hubs, and Mashhad and Hamedan as secondary ones. Prices per pelt ranged from three Rials (for rabbit) to 1000 Rials (for tiger), reflecting unregulated hunting, foreign market demands and state revenue-generation policies. 
Conclusion: Historical commercial activities, despite their significant economic contribution, lacked environmental considerations; and the excessive hunting pressure, rooted in past eras—particularly the Qajar period—led to a drastic decline in populations of keystone species such as the tiger. This research emphasizes that historical patterns of natural resource exploitation have played a significant role in Iran's contemporary biodiversity challenges.

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References

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Ethnobiology and Biodiversity Conservation
Volume 2, Issue 3 - Serial Number 7
September 2025
Pages 38-50

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