The Mesopotamian marshlands lie just to the north of Basra. Prior to 1991, they were the largest natural wetlands in the Middle East. This series of freshwater lakes, swamps, marshes, and seasonally flooded plains extended over more than 15,000 hectares. Wild water buffalo, otters, and wild boar lived in the marshes. They roamed freely among the aquatic plants such as reeds, rushes, and papyrus. Thousands of migratory birds wintered in the wetlands or stopped to rest on their way between Asia and Africa. It was a water paradise.

The Marsh Arabs and their ancestors have lived in these rich wetlands for more than five thousand years. Saddam Hussein destroyed the natural habitat necessary for the inhabitants’ lifestyle. Saddam Hussein had the wetlands drained, wiping out much of the most of the plant and animal life.

Currently, about one-third of the region has been returned to wetlands. Restoring the remaining of this Garden of Eden will be a long and expensive process.