Almost all Persian fallow deer in European zoos are based on a small breeding group that was brought to the Opelzoo in Kronberg about 60 years ago from Persia (today Iran). Opelzoo still today owns the international breeding book and has a huge group of more than 20 animals...
@Jogy Im pretty sure the European population wasnt diverse or big enough for reintroduction in Israel in 1979. Thats why they put so much work into importing a small group of females from Iran just as the revolution broke out, breeding them with a few males from Europe. My guess is that there must have been transfers in the other direction.
