Residents decry open sale of endangered birds in Baghdad

Shafaq News/ The sale of endangered birds continues in Baghdad’s Al-Ghazil Market, where taxidermized specimens and live birds of prey, such as the steppe eagle, are displayed for sale in plain sight in the absence of any regulations or oversight.

Residents told Shafaq News that the lack of strict enforcement has fueled the open trade of rare birds. “With no deterrents in place, these endangered species are being sold publicly while environmental and security agencies remain silent,” one resident said.

Mohammed Youssef, a frequent visitor to the market, expressed his frustration over the increasing trade. “I pass by here daily and feel helpless seeing these birds being sold. Some of us once pooled money to buy and release them, but the problem has escalated beyond control due to the lack of intervention,” he said.

Abu Al-Hassan Al-Musafari, head of the Gilgamesh Foundation for Antiquities and Marshlands, emphasized Iraq's vital role as a migratory corridor for birds from across the world seeking refuge during winter. "Many rare species, including birds of prey, use Iraq as a nesting ground, but they are now prime targets for illegal hunting, which disrupts the country's ecological balance," he told Shafaq News.

He added that poaching operations in Iraq face neither monitoring nor penalties, leading to a steady decline in bird populations as they seek safer habitats outside the country.

Environmental activists warn that without immediate government action to curb illegal hunting and regulate bird trade, Iraq risks losing several rare species, calling for urgent intervention to implement wildlife protection laws and restore ecological balance before more species disappear from the region.