Suspected Intentional Death of Thousands of Migratory Birds in Miankaleh Wetland

The cause of death of thousands of migratory birds in the international Miankaleh Wetland remains unknown. Officials say they are examining all possibilities: from illegal hunters and fishermen to botulism toxin. Miankaleh has repeatedly fallen victim to wetland encroachers in the past.

The cause of the death of hundreds of migratory birds wintering in the international Miankaleh Wetland remains unclear. In the latest statements on the matter, the deputy health and prevention officer of Iran’s Veterinary Organization has reported the possibility of bird deaths due to botulism toxin. Safar Ali Maknealil, who spoke at a press conference on the matter, attributed the source of toxin production to “possibly decomposed plant roots.”

The deputy of the Veterinary Organization, referring to the presence of veterinary teams in the area who are “conducting field visits and sampling,” estimated the number of dead birds according to reports at around two thousand. However, this health official predicted an increase in casualties to five thousand birds, citing “past experiences” and “bird behavior.”

He ruled out the possibility of birds contracting Newcastle disease and avian flu, announcing that final test results regarding the cause of death would be released within the coming week.

Since Wednesday of last week, carcasses of several migratory birds have been observed in the Miankaleh Wetland by local people and area protection guards. Given the unusual nature of the deaths and the unclear cause of bird mortality, according to reports from domestic news sites, operations to collect carcasses and conduct sanitary burial and sampling were immediately initiated by responsible organizations such as the provincial Department of Environment and Veterinary Organization.

According to the director general of the Mazandaran Environment Organization, so far carcasses of one thousand and eight hundred wild birds have been collected and sanitary buried in the international Miankaleh Wetland. However, this official believes the death toll is higher.

“Possibility of Water Poisoning by Illegal Hunters and Fishermen”

Hossein Ali Ebrahimi Karname, director general of the Mazandaran Environment Organization, stated in an interview with IRNA news agency that environmental and veterinary experts from Mazandaran province and the Environmental Organization are cooperating with the National Veterinary Organization to “carefully investigate this tragic environmental incident.”

The director general of the Mazandaran Environment Organization, while rejecting the hypothesis of deaths from seasonal avian flu and even Newcastle disease based on conducted tests, speaks of examining all possible options until the cause of bird deaths is determined.

According to domestic news agencies, the Environment Organization along with Mazandaran Veterinary Organization is investigating poisoning caused by algae and plankton as one of the possible scenarios that may have played a role in the death of wild birds in the Miankaleh Wetland. However, while examining this option, officials do not rule out the involvement of illegal hunters and fishermen and “wetland encroachers.”

Hossein Ali Ebrahimi Karname points to the possibility of water poisoning by some illegal hunters and fishermen and states: “If there is any evidence of involvement of illegal hunters in this matter, we will certainly hand over this case to the judicial authorities for legal action against violators.”

Ten Liters of Pesticide as Retaliation for Opposing Illegal Hunting

The suspected death of birds in the Miankaleh Wetland recalls a bitter memory of a similar incident in the late 1970s in Mazandaran. The director general of the Mazandaran Environment Organization, in an interview with “Shahrvand,” speaks of those days: “The Environment Organization had seized the prey of illegal hunters, and the hunters in retaliation poured ten liters of citrus pesticide into the wetland, resulting in the death of several hundred thousand birds, and the wetland smelled of putrefaction for months.”

Miankaleh Wetland and the Tale of Wetland Encroachers

In recent years, illegal encroachments on the Miankaleh Wetland and lands have intensified.

Last summer, environmental organizations in Mazandaran province reported the seizure of more than two thousand hectares of land in the Miankaleh Wildlife Sanctuary and International Wetland. This seizure, according to reports published by some land grabbers and farmers on the margins of this biosphere reserve, was carried out illegally. The Legal Department of the Mazandaran Environment Organization at that time confirmed the land seizure and announced the filing of the first complaint with the Beshahr County Court.

The attractiveness of these lands in Mazandaran and the influx of land grabbers was such that in recent years it resulted in chain and deliberate fires. According to domestic news sites, these fires alone turned approximately 400 hectares of this migratory bird habitat into ashes last year. Although Mazandaran environmental officials and experts have confirmed the involvement of land grabbers in the fires, they lack sufficient evidence to prove it.

Miankaleh Wetland, a Treasure in Northern Iran

Miankaleh consists of two water bodies covering 45 thousand hectares including the Miankaleh Gulf and Wetland and land covering approximately 24 thousand hectares, comprising roughly three percent of Mazandaran province’s total area. In the Miankaleh region, over one million birds of 230 species live. This wetland is one of the valuable habitats for migratory and native aquatic birds.

According to the Environmental Protection Organization, the entire area covering approximately 100 thousand hectares came under protected area management by the Environmental Organization in 1969. In 1975, due to the presence of rare and endangered migratory aquatic bird species, it was upgraded to a Wildlife Sanctuary. The entire Miankaleh Wildlife Sanctuary was recognized in 1976 by UNESCO’s MAB program as a “Biosphere Reserve.” Miankaleh was also registered in 1975 as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

Source: DW