African catfish spreading in Iraq's wetlands, environmental group warns

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Iraqi Green Observatory has warned that the African catfish is rapidly spreading across Iraq's waterways and has reached marshlands in the country's south, threatening biodiversity in UNESCO-listed wetlands. According to a report released on Monday, the species was first scientifically recorded in Iraq in 2022 along the Tigris River near Zubaidiya in Wasit province. It has since been observed in Baghdad, Nasiriyah and the Huwaisa marshes in the south, as well as in northern Iraq, before reaching the Central Marshes, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The observatory said the invasive fish preys on native species and their eggs, competes with them for food and habitat, and is capable of surviving harsh conditions and growing quickly, creating serious imbalances in the food chain. Its true population size remains unknown, the report added. The group called for field surveys to map the spread and assess environmental risks, and urged authorities to launch a national monitoring program for invasive species and draw up a scientific plan to contain the catfish's expansion. No further details on government response were immediately available.