The Tigris and Euphrates rivers — the cradle of human civilization — flow through Turkey, Syria, and Iraq before joining as the Shatt al-Arab in the Iraqi marshes. These rivers once supported rich biodiversity, including populations of smooth-coated otters, softshell turtles, and massive waterbird colonies. Dams, drainage, and conflict have devastated both ecosystems and wildlife.
The Mesopotamian marshes — historically one of the Middle East's great wetlands — were deliberately drained by Saddam Hussein's government in the 1990s, ostensibly for agricultural development but primarily to eliminate Ma'dan (Marsh Arab) communities and suppress Shia resistance. The drainage was an ecological catastrophe:
Post-2003 re-flooding restored water to parts of the marshes, and wildlife recovery has been partial. Otters, herons, ibis, and waterfowl have returned to restored areas, demonstrating remarkable resilience when conditions allow.
The Euphrates softshell turtle (Rafetus euphraticus) is one of the world's rarest turtles, with perhaps a few hundred individuals remaining in Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. Their welfare is compromised by: dam impoundments blocking migration; sand and gravel extraction destroying nesting beaches; hunting for meat; and water quality degradation. Without conservation intervention, this species faces extinction within decades.
Smooth-coated otters have partially recolonized restored marsh areas. They are vulnerable to: illegal hunting for pelts (a traditional trade continues in parts of Iraq); entanglement in fishing nets; pollution; and continued marsh degradation from reduced river flows. Each otter family group re-establishing in restored marsh habitat represents a welfare success worth documenting.
Transboundary water agreements between Turkey, Syria, and Iraq could guarantee minimum flows to maintain the Mesopotamian marshes and their wildlife. Such diplomatic solutions — environmental flows agreements — would directly benefit the welfare of millions of animals while also supporting the Ma'dan communities whose traditional culture depends on marsh ecology. Wildlife welfare and human welfare are inextricably linked in this landscape.