TEHRAN – Mighan wetland in central province of Markazi has returned back to life due to above normal rainfall and is now home to flocks of migratory birds which come to spend the winter, Mehr reported on Tuesday.

Mighan wetland is among the most important sites for ecotourism and bird-sighting in the country, which is home to over 130 migratory bird species, including cranes, ducks, flamingos, and geese.

In February, Ezzatollah Amere’ei, the provincial water company director, told IRNA that some 100 million cubic meters of water are flowing in the wetland, however, it can contain water twice the current amount.

According to the data published by National Drought Warning and Monitoring Center affiliated to Iran’s Meteorological Organization, since the beginning of the current water years (starting on September 23, 2018) Markazi province has received 436.3 millimeters of rain, which shows a 268.4 percent rise compared to that of last year, in addition to 88 percent increase in comparison to long term means of 232.1 millimeters.

Every year, when the autumn begins, birds migrate up to thousands of kilometers returning to the same place they migrated to last year.

High temperatures, food shortages, and habitat destruction are the main causes of their migration, but despite the fascinating view they on the wetlands and ponds, sometimes increase the risk of avian influenza transmission. 

The veterinary office and the provincial department of the environment (DOE) are responsible for controlling these outbreaks when occurs.

Efforts being made to reduce burden of avian influenza

Mohsen Shaneghi, director of veterinary office of Markazi province, said that since the beginning of this year, more than 5,000 flu tests have been carried out in various industrial and rural poultry as well as natural habitats in the province, with all the results being negative, now surveillance have intensified to prevent the disease from occurring. 

No cases of bird flu in the province have been reported last year, and the country has been free of the disease till now, but care is constantly done to control the possible outbreak, he stated.

He went on to note that there is a team consisting of two forces who monitor the bird flu in all the cities of the province and report the results.

Abbas Joudaki, the provincial DOE director, told Mehr that last week “we witnessed the migration of a thousand of flamingos to the Mighan wetland, and in recent weeks Siberian cranes migrated to the area.”
These migratory birds stay during the winter and almost by the end of the year, and some even stay in the wetland until early spring, then return to the northern areas after the hatching season, so their deployment is almost long, he explained.

Every year since the migration of birds to the area begins, monitoring of the wetland and its margins is constantly on the agenda, he said, highlighting, in case of any carcasses found in areas, the veterinarians are dispatched to determine the cause of death.

Of course, deaths usually occur in the wetland however are not always caused by the flu, he said, explaining, there is a parasitic disease in some birds that infect due to contaminated food and can lead to death.
“We try our best to prevent the prevalence of bird flu and reduce the huge economic burden of diseases in the poultry industry,” he concluded.

FB/MG