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BIODIVERSITY SURVEY REPORT in the MARSHES of SOUTHERN IRAQ (Summer 2017)

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BIODIVERSITY SURVEY REPORT in the MARSHES of SOUTHERN IRAQ (Summer 2017) BIODIVERSITY SURVEY REPORT IN THE MARSHES OF SOUTHERN IRAQ (Summer 2017) 1 Biodiversity Survey Report In The Marshes of Southern Iraq (Summer 2017) Presented by IRAQI MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND ENVIROENMNT In cooperation with IREAQI GREEN CLIMATE ORGNIZATION (IGCO) 2 This report has been prepared to summarize the information of the biodiversity in the marshes of southern Iraqi marshes obtained during summer survey 2017 preformed by the Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment in cooperation with Iraqi Green Climate Organization (IGCO). Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment Baghdad, Iraq Website: www.moen.gov.iq Iraqi Green Climate Organization (IGCO) Baghdad, Iraq Website: www.iraqigreenclimate.org Photograph on the front cover: Iraq Babbler Argya altirostris, a range restricted resident breeding birds in the marshes of southern Iraq © Omar Al-Sheikhly. 3 AKNOWLEDGENMTS This report would not have been accomplished without the efforts of many people who participated and joined the field surveys activities who all unite by a desire to preserve the natural resources of the marshes of southern Iraq. We would like to thank her Excellency Dr. Adiyla Hamoud, the Iraqi Minister of Health and Environment for her contentious support to the marshes of southern Iraq and conservation of its natural resources. We are grateful to Dr. Jassim Al-Falahi, the Technical Deputy Minister of the Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment for the Environmental Affairs for his wise supervision and highly esteemed instructions to conserve and protect the marshes of southern Iraq. Our gratitude is dedicated to Shatha K. Khalaf, the General Director of the Technical Directory of the Iraqi Minister of Health and Environment; without her support this work would not be accomplished. We would like to thank Mukhtar K. Haba (IGCO/CEO), Omar F. Al-Sheikhly (IGCO/Technical Director), Nadheer A. Fazaa (IGCO/Technical Advisor), and the technical staff of the Iraqi Green Climate organization (IGCO) for supporting the field surveys. The IGCO contributions were made through direct field participation, providing technical advising to the surveying teams, and participating in the draft of the current report. The field surveys were performed by the Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment technical staff: Ali N. Al-Barazangy, Mohammad Fadhil, Waleed K. Abass from the Technical Directory – Baghdad; Ahmad M. Hussain (Environmental Directory-Basra Province); Khidhir A. Al-Kanani (Environmental Directory- Mayssan Province). Moreover, we would like to thank the provincial environmental directors of the environmental directories in southern Iraqi provinces: Samir A. Abdulghafor (Environmental Directory-Mayssan Province), Muhsin Aziz (Environmental Directory- Thi Qar Province), and Ahmad H. Jassim (Environmental Directory- Basra Province). We would also thank Ra’ad H. Al-Assady (Al-Chebaeish Organization for Ecotourism) for his participation in the biodiversity surveys in Thi Qar province. Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment and Iraqi Green Climate Organization (IGCO) © 2017 4 Table of Contents AKNOWLEDGENMTS ..................................................................................................................................... 4 ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................... 7 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 8 Historical Preview ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Biodiversity of the Re-inundated Southern Iraqi Marshes ..................................................................... 10 MATERAL AND METHODS ....................................................................................................................... 15 Survey sites ..................................................................................................................................... 15 I. Central Marshes .......................................................................................................................... 16 II. Al-Hammar Marshes ................................................................................................................... 16 III. Al-Hawizeh Marsh ................................................................................................................... 17 Equipment and Field Procedures and Manuals .............................................................................. 21 Field Equipment .................................................................................................................................. 21 Field Procedures and manuals ............................................................................................................ 22 A. Macro-invertebrates (Aquatic Insects) ....................................................................................... 22 B. Fish (Ichthyofauna) ..................................................................................................................... 22 C. Amphibians and Reptiles (Herpetofauna) ................................................................................... 22 D. Birds (Avifauna) ........................................................................................................................... 22 E. Wild Mammals ............................................................................................................................ 23 F. Aquatic plants ............................................................................................................................. 23 I. The Aquatic Insects of the Marshes of Southern Iraq .................................................................... 24 Order: Coleoptera ............................................................................................................................... 24 Order: Hemiptera ................................................................................................................................ 24 Order: Odnata ..................................................................................................................................... 24 Order: Ephemeroptera........................................................................................................................ 25 Order Diptera ...................................................................................................................................... 25 Aquatic insects survey–summer 2017 ................................................................................................ 25 II. Fish of the Marshes of Southern Iraq ............................................................................................. 27 Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 27 Fish Diversity in Al-Hammar Marsh .................................................................................................... 27 5 Fish Diversity in the Central Marshes ................................................................................................. 28 Fish Diversity in Al-Hawizeh Marsh ..................................................................................................... 28 Fish survey–summer 2017 .................................................................................................................. 29 III. Herpetofauna of the Marshes of Southern Iraq ......................................................................... 32 Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 32 Herpetofauna survey–summer 2017 .................................................................................................. 33 IV. Avifauna of the Marshes of Southern Iraq .................................................................................. 36 Bird survey–summer 2017 .................................................................................................................. 38 V. Mammals of the Marshes of Southern Iraq .................................................................................... 43 Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 43 Mammals survey–summer 2017......................................................................................................... 47 VI. Plants of the Marshes of Southern Iraq ...................................................................................... 51 Plant survey–summer 2017 ................................................................................................................ 52 RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................................................. 54 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................ 55 6 ACRONYMS CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CIMI Canada-Iraq Marshlands Initiative CMS Convention on Migratory Species CR Critically endangered (IUCN Red List threat category) DD Data-deficient (IUCN Red List threat
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