Zrebar Lake birds in danger of extinction

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Green Council of Marivan Mountain in the western Sanandaj province of Iran on Monday organized a photography exhibition to raise awareness among people about climate change and to showcase the extinction of the birds of Zrebar Lake.

The exhibition was held next to Zrebar Lake and featured photography of 27 types of birds.

The majority of these birds are nomadic, and many of them migrate to Zrebar Lake for several months every year.

The photos in the exhibition were all taken by two members of the bird care group.

Jalal Pzishk, a member of the Green Council, said: “The pictures you see in the exhibition were not taken easily. I stood in one place for eight hours to take a picture of a bird in an ideal  situation and show it to others."

By showing these types of birds, the exhibition organizers hope to explain to visitors the importance of protecting the Zrebar environment. As a result of the poor condition of Zrebar Lake, the birds have been exposed to the extinction of their flock.

Dilan Sahragard, a resident of Marivan who participated in the exhibition, said, “By putting these pictures together, the importance of Zrebar Lake will become more apparent to people.”

The organizers advised visitors that they should not feed birds without the supervision of experts because any food that is not compatible with the body and environment of these birds can endanger their lives.

Zrebar Lake and the nature around the city of Marivan, which borders Sulaimani province in the Kurdistan Region, are home to more than 310 different species of birds, while there are about 600 species of birds across Europe.

A Sept. 2022 UN Climate Action report found that worldwide, nearly a million species are threatened with extinction, many of which will be completely extinct within decades. The report underscored the urgent need to conserve natural spaces that can absorb greenhouse gasses, and, thus, combat climate change.