▁Ira q , ▁Israel , ▁Jordan , ▁Leb anon , ▁Sy ria , ▁and ▁eastern ▁Turkey . ▁By ▁ 1 8 7 5 , ▁its ▁range ▁was ▁restricted ▁to ▁south western ▁and ▁western ▁Iran , ▁having ▁disappeared ▁from ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁its ▁range . ▁The ▁species , ▁thought ▁to ▁be ▁ext inct ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁was ▁subsequently ▁redis cover ed ▁as ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁about ▁ 2 5 ▁individuals ▁in ▁the ▁Kh uz est an ▁Province ▁in ▁Iran ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 . ▁Today , ▁the ▁only ▁surv iving ▁ind igen ous ▁populations ▁are ▁in ▁the ▁Dez ▁Wild life ▁Ref uge ▁and ▁Kar ke h ▁Wild life ▁Ref uge ▁in ▁south western ▁Iran . ▁ ▁Fact ors ▁leading ▁to ▁end anger ment ▁Hab itat ▁destruction ▁of ▁t amar isk , ▁o ak , ▁and ▁p ist ach io ▁wood lands , ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁de er ▁are ▁found , ▁has ▁contributed ▁to ▁their ▁population ▁decl ine . ▁Ar ound ▁ 1 0 % ▁of ▁their ▁former ▁range ▁still ▁exists ▁for ▁habit ation . ▁The ▁Pers ian ▁fall ow ▁de er ▁is ▁a ▁gra zing ▁her b iv ore , ▁with ▁grass ▁compr ising ▁ 6 0 % ▁of ▁its ▁di et ▁along ▁with ▁leaves ▁and ▁n uts . ▁Since ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁fall ow ▁de er ▁is ▁a ▁primary ▁consumer ▁in ▁its ▁e cos ystem , ▁it ▁is ▁neg atively ▁affected ▁by ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁the ▁habitat ▁that ▁supports ▁the ▁primary ▁produ cers ▁on ▁which