Parvar Protected Area lies about 35 kilometres north of Mahdishar, straddling the Semnan–Mazandaran provincial border high in the Alborz. Declared a protected zone in 1967, it covers around 62,500 hectares of some of the most ecologically diverse terrain in northern Iran. The boundary between the humid Caspian climate and the dry plateau creates sharp contrasts within a short distance — dense forest on the north-facing slopes, open steppe and rocky ridgeline on the south.
The wildlife list is exceptional for the region. Mammals include red deer, wild goat, wild sheep, gazelle, brown bear, wolf, jackal, marten and — in small numbers — both Persian leopard and Asiatic cheetah. Birds are equally varied: golden eagle, black and grey partridge, hoopoe, pheasant, bustard, and multiple owl species. The main rivers are seasonal but most carry water through much of the year, feeding the wetland patches that support the bird diversity. Access is easiest via the road north from Mahdishar toward Shahmirzad and beyond; a permit from the Department of Environment is required to enter the protected core zone.