Iraq War puts migratory birds in danger

According to many Ornithologists, the Iraq war has put many migratory birds in danger, as the March and April are a critical time with greatest number of birds in Iraq setting their way across the country on their annual spring migration to northern breeding grounds.

Iraq is situated on a key migration route for many birds, where its two major rivers, Tigris and Euphrates, are important part of the route for many long-distance migrant birds. Also, Southern Iraq has long been identified as a globally important spot for bird biodiversity, serving as the most important wintering grounds for water birds in western Eurasia.

Due to the war, many birds will be prevented from stopping along the way to refuel, which would abort their migration or make them even starve to death. Even if the birds push ahead with their migration, war-related disruptions could lead them to arrive too late in their northern nesting sites to complete their breeding cycle.

Environmental experts concerned about the environmental damages of war

Environmental experts all around the world are concerned that war in Iraq will cause a massive environmental damage to the Persian Gulf region and significantly add to global warming.

During the 1991 Persian Gulf War, about 750 oil wells were set ablaze, and burned for as many as nine months, generating toxic smoke, soot, sulfur and acid rain that covered croplands as many as 1,200 miles away. Environmental experts expect that if oil wells are set ablaze again during new war in Iraq, they could do far more environmental damage than was inflicted in 1991.

Also, environmental groups and experts say that a new war in Iraq could do even more harm to the environment and water resources, killing off dozens of endangered species of birds and animals.