Wildlife
Past and Present
 

The Marshlands of Iraq have been greatly depleted. The loss of habitat has lead several species to the verge of extinction or extirpation.   Very few of the large carnavors are still present in most areas of the Marshland.


Mammals
Mammals, such as the Smooth-Coated Otters, which once prowled the marches, are now thought to be extinct, while others such as the Indian Crested Porcupine, Bandicoot Rat, and Mesopotamian gerbil are being extirpated.  The animals below are all species that once lived in the Marshlands of Iraq, all of these species are having population problems due to the server loss of habitat.

Smooth-Coated Otter
         Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli     
smooth_otter
  Indian Mongoose
 
            
Red Fox

Bandicoot Rat
   
Erythronesokia bunnii
 rat
        
Wild Boar

 
Hedgehogs

Jackal
 

Honey Badger

Indian crested porcupine
           Hystrix indica
porcupine
Goitred Gazelle

Mesopotamian gerbil
     Gerbillus mesopotamiae
gerbil
Striped Hyena




Birds
An estimated 40 species of waterfowl are at risk. The Mesopotamian marshlands are among the most important wintering areas for migratory birds in Eurasia. A survey in 1979 revealed that the Marshlands of Iraq were internationally important wintering areas for at least 22 species of birds and possibly up to a total of 70 species of waterfowl. The marshlands support a number of globally threatened species on a seasonal basis.

African Darter
                Anhinga Rufa
Darter                                    
Sacred Ibis
Threskiornis aethiopicus
sacredibis
Iraqi Babbler-endemic species
babbler
goliath heron
       Ardea goliath
Goliath heron
Pygmy Cormorant
          Phalacrocorax pygmaeus      
PygmyCormorant
Dalmatian pelican            
          Pelecanus crispus
pelican
Imperial Eagle
     Aquila heliaca
eagle
Marbled Duck
      Marmaronetta angustirostris
Marbled duck
White-Tailed Eagle
        
Haliaeetus albicilla

white tailed
Basra Reed Warbler-endemic species                              
warbler

Fish
The flow from the marshes provided nutrients to support fish-spawning grounds in the northern Gulf.  Coastal fisheries in the northern Gulf, which depend on the marshlands for spawning grounds, have experienced a sharp decline.  At the same time, the researchers reported increases in fish species introduced from other countries, some of those for aquaculture.  Ecologists are now concerned now about the food pyramid for the fish, and the return of the native fisheries stock.



Barbus xanthopterus  kattan                 
kattan
Carassius carassius- Introduced species
carassius
Hilsa Shad
Hilsa Shad
Cyprinus Carpio
Kittan2

Other Fish Species

Barbus sharpeyi
Cyprinus sharpey binni
Liza abu khishni
Silurus triostegus jirri
Barbus luteus himri
Asalus eorase shilik

Aquaculture fishes- Many fish species have been introduced to the Marshlands as other species to supply the people of Iraq with an other food source such as Cyprinus carpio-common carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix-silver carp, & Ctenopharyngodon idellus-grass carp.  They have had an unmeasured effect on native fish species and the rest of the ecosystem.

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