Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Iran
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Hawksbill sea turtle is a kind of marine turtle in Persian Gulf but its different beak and diet which is based on eating sea sponge make it the most unusual type of marine turtle.

Its head is similar to that of birds of prey. Its beak is like the beak of eagle to pull its principal food i.e. sea sponge out of corals and hence it is called hawksbill sea turtle.

Non-hatching Eggs of Hawksbill Sea Turtle on Beach Sand
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The adult turtle has an oval carapace which has a very beautiful combination of colors including golden and dark brown and red, black and orange streaks. The underneath of its body has a light color.

Baby Turtles (Hawksbill Sea Turtle) Popped Out of the Sand and Waddled Toward the Ocean
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Spring is the season of nesting among this species. Building a nest and laying egg happen during 14-16 days. Nesting usually happens at nights. The female turtle lays its eggs in a hole near the beach and then goes back to the sea. After about two months, the baby turtles hatch at night and instinctively crawl into the sea. If baby turtles do not reach the water by daybreak, they will be preyed upon by hunters like birds and crabs. They will be mature after 20 years and due to having a hard carapace, only a very limited hunters like saltwater crocodile, shark and octopus are capable of preying these turtles.

The habitat of these turtles can be seen in Nakhiloo and Ommolkorm islands in Bushehr province and Qeshm, Kish, Shidvar, Hendorabi, Hengam and Hormoz islands in Hormozgan province.

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Fritillaria Imperialis – Iran Phytogeography
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There are various plant species in Iran due to having vast area and different climatic conditions. Geophytographically, Iran is divided into three huge vegetative regions including Europe- Siberia, Irani- Toorani and Sahara- Sind. Besides, it is geographically divided into four regions of Khazari (Caspian), Zagros, Irani- Toorani and the shore of Persian Gulf.

Khazari Region

it includes the plain lands of the coasts of Caspian Sea and some mountainous parts of Alborz which is covered with large-leaf jungles and mountainous meadows. Being away from the frost period, here you can see the species which no longer exist in other countries from among them it can be pointed out to Quercus Castaneifolia, Parrotia Persica, Populus Caspica, Gledistcha Capsica and Taxus Baccata. There is a unique and intersting species in this region which is called Lilium ledebouri, it is grown very limitedly in Rudbar region and is under protection, it has been registered nationally as well.

Avicennia marina (Harra Forest) – Iran Phytogeography
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Zagros Region

this region is known with its oak forests. It is covered with snow during the winter because of having cold weather conditions. The main plants of this region are Quercus Brantii, Fraxinus Rotundifolia, Acer Monspessulanum and Crataeguas Spp. But the most gorgeous plant of this region which annually attracts many tourists is called Fritillaria Imperialis. The main feature of this plant is the short time of its flowering.

Irani- Toorani Region

it is divided into two parts in terms of height: the plain part which is from mountains of Khorasan to Zagros Mountain and then reaches Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. The vegetation of this region is Artemisia. The mountainous part of the region includes the southern slopes of Alborz, the eastern hillside of Zagros and the mountains of Iranian Plateau. The commonest species are Onobrychis, Acanthophyllum, Astragalus, Calligonum Persicum, Ungernia Flava, Berberia Khorasanica and Pteropryum Aucheri.

The Shore of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea

it includes the coastal parts of south of Iran and is covered with date palm, Acacia and Jujube and Avicennia marina (Harra Forest). The vegetation in northern parts of Persian Gulf shore and Oman Sea is variable. In the parts with the highest raining amount, Medicago, Gramineae and Leguminocae are grown and around Oman Sea, Nannorhops, Acacia Ehrenbergian, Rhzya Dtricta, Prosopis Cineraria and T.stricta are mostly seen. One of the most famous plants of this region is Zhumeria which is in danger of extinction because of wasteful harvest, this plant has numerous medicinal and therapeutic properties.

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Traditional skills of building and sailing Iranian Lenj boats in the Persian Gulf
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According to the archeological excavations in the ruins of the ancient Siraf port on the north shore of the Persian Gulf in Bushehr Province, marine trade and the related businesses were popular in Iran since the Sassanid Empire (224-651 C.E). Today also in this region, the life, identity, and culture of the inhabitants are interwoven directly with the sea. For example, one of the local authentic arts indicating this relationship is Lenj making. Lenj, a traditional wooden hand-made type of boat, is the main tool for local villagers for various purposes such as fishing and transportation depending on its size. Lenj is not a mere vehicle of transportation for the local inhabitants; rather it is a handicraft indicating the culture and the way of life.

The methods and skills of Lenj making are usually taught by the son from father in a traditional way. They are built mentally without a predetermined written design and map, each takes around two years to be built. Furthermore, what makes it more interesting is that sailors and workers sing special local sons collectively at work during the construction of Lenjes. There are more than 10 types of Lenj, of which the most common ones include Baghaleh, Boom, Sambook, Jalboot, Tashaleh, Boozi, Tartary, and Sammach.

Lenj is not a mere vehicle of transportation for inhabitants; rather it is a handicraft indicating the culture and the way of life in the region.

The main material used in Lenj making is solid teak wood that is resistant against water. When the main structure and framework of a Lenj is built, the rifts and spaces between the wood planks are filled with cotton wicks (known as Kalfat Kooby in the local language) that are soaked before in sesame oil. Finally, the whole outside hull of Lenj will be covered with sesame oil in order to increase its resistance to salt and moisture.

Sailing Iranian Lenj boats in the Persian Gulf
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Releasing a Lenj to the sea has its special ceremony. Inhabitants of the village where the Lenj is built gather and the clergy reads the holy Quran and blesses the Lenj with the name of God. Then, the owner of the Lenj, who usually is its captain as well, sacrifices an animal (camel, cow, or sheep depending on the financial affordability), in order to prepare a meal with its meat for the villagers. After the sacrifice, the community starts moving the Lenj to the sea using a tool named Dowvar. It is a wheel with long sticks attached to it with two pulleys.

A thick and rigid rope is fastened around the Lenj, passed from the pulleys, and tightened around the cylinder of the Dowvar. Depending on the size of the Lenj, a certain number of men take the sticks of the Dowvar and begin turning them while singing rhythmic songs. To ease the movement, clogs of wood covered in animal fat are placed in front of the Lenj and the back part of the Lenj is covered with palm leaves. The arrival of Lenj at the sea is accompanied by cheers and feasts.

Today, Lenj making is rare in Iran mostly in use still by a few numbers of old generations as cheaper fiberglass boats have taken the role of this handicraft. This art under the title of “traditional skills of building and sailing Iranian Lenj boats in the Persian Gulf” was registered by UNESCO as an Intangible World Heritage in 2011.

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It contains 13 counties with Bandar Abbas as its center and different ethnic groups who mostly speak Farsi (with Bandari dialect) and Arabic (in some regions). In terms of climate, Hormozgan province is generally one of the hot and dry regions of Iran, while its coastal strip is specifically hot and humid in summer.

n ancient times, some tribes lived on the western coasts of the Persian Gulf and southwestern plains of Iran. According to the archeological evidence, sailing was prevailing in the region at that time, for example, when the land of Babylonians was occupied through sailing in the Persian Gulf in the 7th century B.C. The earliest historical sources indicating sailing in the Persian Gulf date back to the time of Nearchus or Neerak (360-330 B.C.), one of the admirals of Macedonia. In the aftermath of the invasion of Arab to Iran, the Persian Gulf coasts came under the rule of Umayyad (661-750) and Abbasid (750-1258) caliphates, respectively.

Marco Polo, a famous Italian merchant globetrotter visited the port of Hormuz, about which he noted that jewels of Iran, tusk, and silk of India and China and the Bahraini pearl were traded at this port. Afonso de Albuquerque surrounded the Hormuz Island with seven warships in the seventh year of Shah Isma’il Safavid reign. During the reign of Shah Abbas Safavid, Imam-Quli Khan, the governor of Fars and Qeshm, recaptured Hormuz and the southern ports from Portuguese.

Later, Shah Abbas formed an alliance with Britain and completely eradicated the Portuguese’s influence from the Persian Gulf, leading to the substitution of “Bandar Abbas” for Gamrun as the name of the port. In the First World War, coincided with the late Qajar dynasty (1796-1925), important events happened in the Persian Gulf region and coast which increased the power of Britain there.

Hormozgan weather is mild in fall and winter, providing the best opportunity to attract tourists to the region from different parts of the country. A part of the exquisite attractions of the province includes beautiful beaches, free-trade zones, Qeshm Portuguese Castle, Greek Ship, traditional water reservoirs in the Kish Island, Naaz islands, Mangrove forests, the Stars Valley at Qeshm Island, and dolphins of Hengam Island. It should be noted that UNESCO World Geoparks Network registered Qeshm Geopark in April 2016.

The prevailing handicrafts of the province are basket and mat weaving, Golabatoon-Doozi (a form of embroidery), Chadorshab-Doozi, Badeleh-Doozi (a form of embroidery), Khos-Doozi (a form of embroidery), rope making, Shak-Bafi (a form of embroidery), Ur-Bafi (a form of embroidery), Garegor-Bafi (a form of the fishing net), Burqa-Sazi (a form of face cover), Lachak-Sazi (a form of head cover), backrest cover, Zar-Doozi (embroidery with gold), and Kaman-Doozi (a form of embroidery).

The most common eatable souvenirs of the province include a variety of dates, marine handicrafts, fish and shrimp, sea shellfish, and aquarium fish. Most of Hormozgan’s native foods are made of a mixture of fish and various aquatic species such as shrimp and lobster, along with dates, rice, and spices. Of the most famous local foods, we mention to Cutlet of fish, Qaliye-Mahi (fish stew), Hawari Mahi (rice and fish), Katogh Shur of Onion, Havari Margieh, Hawri-Chekomig (rice and shrimp), Ancas (Squid), Disho Rice, Meloc (Long shell), Kufteh-Mahi of Moumeq, and Cingo dish.

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The autumns and springs in Bushehr are very short with relatively cool winters but warm, dry, and long summers. Most people in the province are Fars with the common language of Farsi but with the Bushehr dialect. Nevertheless, the economic and industrial situation of the region, the presence of the nuclear power plant, and the shipbuilding industry have attracted immigrants from other ethnic groups and cities of the country to Bushehr province.

The oldest evidence of settlement in Bushehr province dates back to the era of Elam (2700-539 B.C.), an ancient pre-Iranian civilization. The discovery of tablets made of baked mud with inscription in Elamite language in the Sabzabad Rishahr hill is a testimony to the importance of the Persian Gulf coast during the time. The ancient city of Liyan was a bridge between Bushehr and the Indian Ocean and southeast of Asia.

There are palaces and temples that remained from the Achaemenid Empire (550-330 B.C.) in different parts of the Persian Gulf, Bushehr, and Borazjan including the Winter Palace of Bardak Siah. Siraf harbor is another important and historical area in​​ Bushehr province which is located near the current Taheri port. During the fourth century AD, Siraf had great commercial importance and was considered one of the largest cities of Abbasid Caliphate.

Bushehr played a significant role during the Constitutional Revolution as its constitutionalists opposed against Mohammad Ali Shah (1872-1925), in line with other parts of Iran. After the invasion of the British colonial forces, Tangestani troops leading by Rais Ali Delvari, rose against them.

The Persian Gulf is one of the most important attractions in the province with its beautiful beaches, the salt dome of Jashak, Siraf, Rishahr, Palace of Bardak Siah, and Saadat School.

Saadat School, historically referring to the Qajar Dynasty (1796-1925), is the oldest surviving school in southern Iran. The anniversary of its foundation on 18^th March is considered the Bushehr Day. The most important handicrafts of the province include carpet, decorative objects with shellfish, handmade fish catching net, and shipbuilding. Of its souvenirs include different kinds of Persian Gulf fish, shrimp, dates, tahini, and halva.

Notably, residents of non-coastal areas of the province use more wheat and dairy products as their main food ingredients, while those residing in the coastal areas use more offshore products. Ghalieh Mahi (fish and shrimp stew), Tandaz Mahi (fish broth), Abgoosht Mahi (fish dish), and Lekhlakh are among the native foods of the region. Of the prominent figures of the province are Ali Delvari (oppositional leader), Sadeq Chubak (writer and literary critique), and Najaf Darya Bandari. Darya Bandari is a pioneer author and translator whose name was registered as “The Living Treasure of the National Gastronomy” in the summer of 2017.

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