TEHRAN – Bamdej Wetland, located 40 kilometers northwest of Ahvaz, Khuzestan province, has been filled with water after autumn rainfalls, while suffering a significant drop in water level during summer, deputy director of Khuzestan province’s environment department general said.

The fresh water wetland covering an area of 4,000 hectares, is home to over 40 different animal species including fox, jackal, wolf, hyena, marten, bat, hedgehog, frog, toad, turtle, gecko and snake. It also is a preferred habitat to many birds including Basra reed warbler, African sacred Ibis, white-tailed plover, duck and Iraq babbler.

“With water level rising, the number of migratory birds choosing the wetland to pass the winter on, is increased,” ISNA quoted Adel Mola as saying on Saturday.
This summer (June 21-September 22), water levels have started to fall in Bamdej wetland, however, increased precipitation levels in Autumn led to the flow of water in the wetland again, he explained.

Considering recent rainfall and good water condition in the wetland, the diversity and density of migratory birds is expected to be higher than last year, he added.

Referring to census for migratory birds as one of the main environmental issues, he highlighted that the accurate data of migratory birds’ population in this wetland will be reported on mid-January concurrent with annual bird census.

According to data released on Saturday by the National Drought Warning and Monitoring Center the whole country received 80.6 millimeters of rain since the beginning of autumn which almost quadruples last year’s precipitation. 

Over the same period the province of Khuzestan received 233.5 millimeters of rain while last year’s precipitations in the area amounted to 41.9 millimeters.  

FB/MQ/MG