Fauna of South Asia

India's wild tiger population is estimated to now exceed 3,600, according to new government figures released Saturday, in a vindication of conservation efforts for the endangered species. Tigers once roamed throughout central, eastern and southern Asia, but have lost nearly 95 percent of their historical range in the past century.

An Asiatic cheetah gave birth to three "healthy" cubs in Iran, the head of the environment department said on May 1, calling it a first in captivity for the endangered species.

"Iran," one of only a dozen cheetahs found in the Islamic republic, delivered three "healthy" cubs by C-section, Ali Salajegheh told IRNA news agency.

Istanbul gendarmerie units have carried out an operation on a farm in the Silivri district upon notifications that a foreign national was feeding predators and found a 4-month-old white tiger and an 8-month-old Rhesus monkey.

Security units determined that the animals which were kept in cages were illegally brought into Turkey from India.