For over 20 years, Malek Dinar Shajareh has dedicated himself to caring for the Gando, the short-nosed crocodile, in the restive Bahoukalat district of Sistan and Baluchistan province, using his own resources.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic halting the ecotourism that once provided his livelihood, Shajareh remains committed to his mission. “I do everything in my power to take care of the Gandos,” he told IranWire, “because I don’t want the water to be angry with us.”
Approximately 400 Gandos currently live in the region. The Environmental Organization has warned that the short-nosed crocodile, of which fewer than 3,000 remain worldwide - primarily in Southeast Asia - is at risk of extinction.
The Baluch people have become the guardians of this endangered species, especially amid the severe droughts that have plagued the region in recent years. Their deep respect for water and all it sustains has allowed the Gando to survive these harsh conditions. This reverence is also why Shajareh chose to prioritize the welfare of the Gandos over his own agricultural pursuits.
In past droughts, Shajareh abandoned efforts to revive his garden and crops in Bahoukalat, allowing what little water remained in the Hotag (a local water reservoir) near his home to be preserved as a habitat for the Gandos. Now 71 years old, Shajareh has spent more than two decades caring for these creatures, even though his kindness has not always been reciprocated by fortune.
Shajareh’s hope for enduring yet another scorching, dry summer lies in the arrival of travelers from other provinces. He has faced not only droughts and recent floods but also the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated the ecotourism venture he launched in 2019.
Now, he worries that the threat of dengue fever could further diminish the number of visitors to Sistan and Baluchistan. “Thank God, despite the lack of water and heat, the Gandos are still here, and I am taking care of them. But there is only so much I can do - I need help,” he says.
Shajareh’s home is located in Bahoukalat, a region that has been under protection since 1970 as the world’s only habitat for short-nosed crocodiles. This 465,181-hectare area spans the Dashtiari, Chabahar, and Sarbaz districts. The Bahokalat seasonal river, which he occasionally taps to fill the Gando pond, is also within the boundaries of his residence. Despite the challenges, Shajareh remains steadfast in his commitment to safeguarding the Gandos.
Last spring, when floods caused the dam in Bahoukalat to overflow, at least seven Gandos were swept away. Three were trapped in the overflow, and four others were carried into the river. Despite the efforts of environmentalists and the Environmental Protection Organization, only three were rescued and returned to the dam.
Reflecting on the devastation, Shajareh told IranWire, “The flood was severe and caused significant damage in Chabahar, Dashtiari, and Kenarak, even claiming lives. But thank God, it passed.”
When the ponds where the Gandos live dry up, they often venture out in search of water, sometimes falling into agricultural wells. The local Baluch community is quick to inform rangers, who rescue the stranded animals. The Baluch people believe that if anything related to water, including the Gando, is harmed, it brings misfortune.
Occasionally, the Gandos wander far from their dried-up ponds and enter villages, where they may eat chickens or other livestock. Despite these incidents, the Baluch do not mistreat the animals, even when they display aggressive behavior during the egg-laying season. In some cases, Gandos have attacked children, severing limbs, yet the Baluch maintain their respect for these creatures.
Shajareh continues to hold out hope for visitors from other provinces who might travel to Sistan and Baluchistan, from Sarbaz to Chabahar. However, he has yet to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which crippled ecotourism.
A few years ago, when the political climate in Iran was better and the pandemic had not yet struck, videos of Shajareh feeding the Gandos circulated on social media, attracting more travelers to his home and the small hotel next to it. But Shajareh’s story is about more than just feeding the Gandos. Years ago, during a severe drought that dried up his banana, mango, and lemon trees, he noticed Gandos living in the Hotag near his garden. Faced with the diminishing water supply, he contacted the Environmental Protection Organization for help.
When the agency declined to assist in bringing a loader to channel water from the river into the Hotag, Shajareh took matters into his own hands. He rented a loader, built a temporary channel, and restored water to the Gando pond - a task he repeats whenever the pond dries up. But renting a loader is costly, especially for someone with no steady income.
“I used to farm,” Shajareh told IranWire. “I had about one hectare of land where I planted mangoes, bananas, and lemons, but when the water ran out, they dried up. I only kept one or two trees. Gradually, the border was closed, and we couldn’t engage in border-related work. Now, I’m just waiting for the subsidy payment.”
As the number of travelers increased, Shajareh sought a permit from the General Department of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism of Sistan and Baluchistan to establish an ecotourism venture. He received the license at the end of 2018, but just as the venture was gaining momentum, the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“I had to stop tourism for two years,” Shajareh said of the pandemic’s impact. “After that, the number of visitors decreased. It’s hot here for about eight months of the year, and no travelers come. When I tried to renew the license, they gave me such a hard time that I decided I didn’t want it anymore.”
Shajareh also mentioned his most recent request to the Department of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism. “I wrote a letter asking for a diesel quota to power the water pump and bring water to the pond, but they didn’t cooperate. When I explained that my tourism venture has neither visitors nor income, they didn’t listen.”
Reflecting on the rainy season, Shajareh explained, “When it rains and the river brings water, the Gandos become harder to spot because the water turns muddy. If a traveler comes and doesn’t see a Gando, they leave disappointed.”
Yet, Shajareh remains hopeful. “Sometimes travelers who have visited before call to ask how I’m doing and even offer help. I thank them for not forgetting us.”
When Shajareh first noticed the six Gandos living in the pond near his house, he struggled to find a way to feed them without having them prey on the neighborhood’s chickens and roosters. Unsure of what to do, he started buying chicken legs and heads from local butchers. As the Gandos began to rely on him for food, Shajareh’s new routine became collecting discarded chicken parts from the butchers.
He told IranWire, “Sometimes, I get plenty of chicken legs and heads, and other times, it’s scarce. A few years ago, I had to buy a 150-liter freezer to store the food because I don’t always have enough to feed them. I’ve reached out to all the chicken shops I know, from Bahokalat to Nobandian, Chabahar, and Dashtiari, asking them to save the parts they don’t need for me. Then, I package and store them in the freezer to ensure there’s always food for the Gandos.”
Despite these efforts, Shajareh struggles to make enough money to even cover the electricity for the freezer, especially during the summer when tourists rarely visit the region.
Tourism is also sparse during the few cooler months of the year, which further complicates his situation. “I rely on tourists from outside Sistan and Baluchistan,” he explains. “Travelers from our own province aren’t even willing to pay the entrance fee here. And I have to visit multiple places to collect chicken legs and other food for the Gandos.”
For many years, Shajareh has had no income from farming, no insurance, and no pension to fall back on. When the pond had more water, up to 24 Gandos lived there. One of Shajareh’s ongoing tasks is measuring and monitoring the water level in the pond. As the summer progresses and the water diminishes, he tries to pump water from the Bahoukalat River to replenish it. But this has become increasingly challenging.
Years ago, the Environmental Protection Organization established a station for Gando protection in the Rikokash area, 110 kilometers north of Chabahar. This facility, with two ponds covered in vegetation, served as a sanctuary for Gandos who were displaced from their natural habitat. To help the pond near Shajareh’s home retain water for longer, a similar facility needs to be built. However, neither the Environmental Protection Organization nor Shajareh has the budget for such a project.
To extend the life of the pond next to his house, Shajareh has built makeshift dams in several areas, funding the work out of his own pocket. Despite his best efforts, the challenges of caring for the Gandos are mounting, and Shajareh continues to struggle to meet their needs.
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