A large number of Iranians are mourning the death of Piroz, or the winner in translation from Persian to Serbian, a ten-month-old cub and one of the last Asiatic cheetahs in the world.
Piroz was born in May 2022 and the cuddly cub has become a symbol of hope for thousands of Iranians during a wave of violent anti-government protests.
Although it is believed that there are only 12 wild Asiatic cheetahs left in Iran, this country is the stronghold of this endangered species of wild cat, according to Iranian officials.
The cheetah is a symbol of national pride in Iran, and they appear in Persian poetry and painting, and are even the symbol of the Iranian national football team to emphasize speed and power.
However, the cub Piroz became a symbol of something else.
- Endangered cheetahs in the winning photos
- BBC identified many more people killed in protests in Iran
- A country where keeping pets could be punishable by prison
Son of Iran
Since his birth, millions of Iranians have followed the life of this cub.
In 2022, his mother, who was named Iran, was transferred to Turan, a nature reserve in the northwest of the country, where she was joined with the male Firuz.
Iran gave birth to three cubs by caesarean section, but rejected them, leaving their fate uncertain.
"Iran [the mother] didn't have the instinct that these were her cubs and she rejected them," says Dr. Pajam Mohebi, president of the Iranian Veterinary Association.
The nation watched as two cubs died of organ failure day after day.
Many Iranians have accused the government and blamed them for the deaths of the cubs and lack of interest in environmental issues.
However, there was a possibility to save Piroz.
Then Alireza Shahrdari, an Iranian environmental activist, was tasked with looking after him.
Every night Shahrdari slept next to the cub.
Videos showing Piroz sleeping next to a "human father" went viral on social media and warmed the hearts of millions of Iranians.
Piroz was five months old when violent protests broke out in Iran in September 2022.
Although he had health problems, photos of Piroz were shared on social media as a "victorious son of Iran" because he survived.
Because of the name and debt, Piroz, which means "victory" in Serbian, has become a symbol of solidarity for many anti-government protesters.
Piroz's struggle for life is also shown in Shervin Hadžiput's song "Baraje", which means "because" in Persian, for which he received the Grammy Award for Best Track.
The lyrics of the song are actually posts on Twitter in which Iranians mourned the situation in their country: "because of dancing in the streets", "for fear of kisses... because of Piroz and the fear of his extermination, because of women, life, freedom".
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Piroz died in the arms of his "human father" Shahrdari on February 26, 2023, in a hospital in Tehran, the media reported.
The cause of death is stated to be kidney failure.
Epitaphs and last greetings for the little cub flooded social networks.
"His life was short, but his name and memory will be in all of our hearts forever," wrote Dr. Pajam Mohebi, president of the Iranian Veterinary Association.
"In the shadow of the Islamic Republic, the lives of people and animals are not safe," wrote Ali Karimi, Iran's soccer coach and former national team player, on Twitter.
Iran's environment department did not respond to questions from the BBC.
Watch the video: Cheetah cubs as a status symbol on social networks
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