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Bird Teams Flock to Iraq to Survey War's Impact |
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James Owen in England for National Geographic News |
| May 21, 2003 |
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Peace doves may now be flying over Iraq but conservationists fear many birds could be feeling the effects of the recent war. Following the world's largest military operation since the last Gulf war, international teams of biologists are to investigate the impact of this year's conflict on Iraq's bird life. Five survey teams will soon be sent to the country by BirdLife International, an alliance of bird conservation organizations from around the world. They will assess the conservation status of key habitats, sites, and species. Their visit comes after the latest in a series of conflicts to grip the region since the 1980s. And while some conservationists fear the US-led coalition's invasion of Iraq has had serious consequences for already beleaguered bird populations, there are also hopes that the end of Saddam Hussein's regime will provide an opportunity to rejuvenate damaged bird habitat. Among the species BirdLife is most worried about is the Basra reed warbler. It says data gathered just before the war indicates its global status has deteriorated from "near threatened" to "endangered." This classification means the species faces a very high risk of extinction in the near future. The warbler's last stronghold is the Mesopotamian marshlands to the north of Basra. As well as being home to several other endemic or near-endemic Iraqi birds, these wetlands are also considered a vital overwintering and stopover destination for migratory birds. BirdLife will assess over 40 important bird areas throughout Iraq, including wetland, steppe, desert, and mountain habitats. "We will concentrate on the areas we know are important for biodiversity," said Mike Evans, a BirdLife researcher who specializes in the Middle East. "Key species will be the three endemics—Basra reed warbler, Iraq babbler, and grey hypocolius; also wintering waterfowl, especially the Dalmatian pelican, pygmy cormorant, white-headed duck and marbled teal, as the status of these will give a good indication of the health of the sites." Bombs and Pollution Possible damage caused to birds and their habitats during the recent war include physical destruction and disturbance through bombing and artillery fire, burning of wetlands and forests caused by fighting, and smoke pollution from oil fires. Another threat comes from desertification due to tanks and other military vehicles, as BirdLife Iraq project coordinator, Richard Porter, explains. "Vehicle movements destroy the desert's surface 'crust,'" Porter said. "The crust seems to be very slow to repair itself, with scientists estimating recovery over decades (40 to 250 years) rather than months or years. One study of tank tracks in the Arizona desert suggested full recovery only after 1,000 years." The possible consequences of armed conflict in the region were revealed during the 1990-1991 Gulf War. More than 30,000 overwintering seabirds and tens of thousands of waders were killed in the Arabian Gulf due to resulting oil spills. The main focus of attention now will be the Mesopotamian marshes, an area of connected lakes, marshes, and floodplains along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Once one of the world's largest wetland ecosystems, the marshes bore the brunt of previous military campaigns. Heavy fighting took place here during the Iran-Iraq war, when large areas were burned and bombed. Napalm and chemical weapons were also used. Further damage followed with the first Gulf war. Its aftermath proved even more destructive. Saddam's defeat in Kuwait and subsequent retreat north encouraged southern Iraq's largely Shi'ite Muslim population to revolt against his regime. They included the indigenous Marsh Arabs, who have lived in the marshes for 5,000 years. The revolt was crushed and Saddam had his revenge by setting about eradicating the marshlands that define the unique culture and identity of these people. In the process, many birds and other wildlife also lost their homelands. Once twice the size of the Florida Everglades, since 1991 the wetlands have shrunk from 15,000 square kilometers (5,800 square miles) to just 50 square kilometers (20 square miles). The impacts of Saddam's drainage policy were exacerbated by the construction of large dams higher up the Tigris and Euphrates. Environmental Disaster "The tragic loss of the Mesopotamian marshlands stands out as one of the world's greatest environmental disasters," said Timothy Foresman, director of the United Nations Environment Programme's Division of Early Warning and Assessment. UNEP, which is carrying out its own survey into the environmental impacts of the recent war, says the entire wetland area could be lost within three to five years if urgent action isn't taken to rehabilitate it. Conservationists say the consequences of war and other pressures on Iraq's bird life extend far beyond the country's borders. In its 2001 report, entitled The Mesopotamian Marshlands: Demise of an Ecosystem, UNEP warned: "The effects of marshland dessication is being felt across thousands of miles from the Arctic to southern Africa. An estimated 66 species of birds that occurred in the marshlands in internationally significant numbers are at risk." BirdLife Agrees With Assessment "The drainage of the marshlands destroyed the wintering and staging habitat of several million migratory waterbirds," Evans said. "These birds bred mainly in west Siberia, and wintered as far south as South Africa. The Basra reed warbler is an example. This small warbler breeds only in the Mesopotamian marshes and it migrates to spend the winter in east Africa. One monitoring station in Kenya has detected much smaller numbers of the species since the marshes were drained." While the recent war is likely to have contributed to such problems, conservationists now hope the fall of Saddam's regime could mark a new dawn for the region's bird life. "In terms of the Mesopotamian marshes, BirdLife hopes a new Iraqi government will be more open to protecting the environment and conserving wildlife," said Porter. "For its part, BirdLife is certainly open to working collaboratively with the new government and Iraqi conservationists to help them restore the marshes to at least some of their former glory." 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