Recently the wetlands covered more than 9,000 km2 – equivalent to over 13 million tennis courts - making surveys a very challenging task. “We were very excited recently when we discovered an endemic sub-species of otter – the Vulnerable Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli”, noted Mudhafar Salim. “This indicates that there’s plenty more still to find!”

However, the marshes are now shrinking again as a result of drought and intensive dam construction and irrigation schemes upstream. "Flooding has been disrupted by the dams built in Turkey, Syria and Iraq itself", noted Dr Azzam Alwash. "The natural flow system is not going to return until and unless the dams outside Iraq are actively managed as part of a basin-wide coordinated management of the Tigris and Euphrates. In response, Nature Iraq is currently producing a drought management plan”.

Nature Iraq is also running an awareness programme aimed at hunters in the Basra region. “Our hunting campaign will help to conserve Globally Threatened species such as Marbled Teal”, said Dr Alwash.

Nature Iraq is part of BirdLife’s Born to Travel campaign which is aiming to improve the conservation status of migratory birds and their habitats along the African-Eurasian Flyway. Through the Born to Travel campaign Nature Iraq is seeking support in order to really make the difference for migratory birds.