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Requested News Item
| 9/5/2008 | Urmia Lake Crisis | |
| Contacts | agh1960@yahoo.com | |
| Urmia Lake, an internationally important wetland, home of a unique brine shrimp (Artemia) species and seasonal settlement for thousands of migrating birds is in great danger. Urmia Lake is listed in the Ramsar Sites (Convention of Wetlands of International Importance) and known as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Urmia Lake is facing a grave crisis over the past 10 years. Prolonged drought is threatening the lake’s biodiversity and ecology. Reduction of water depth by 6 meters, increasing water salinity to saturation level (much higher than tolerance range of Artemia and migrating birds), appearance of huge salt fields around the lake, huge reduction in Artemia population, … are alarming indications of gradual total desiccation of the beautiful and unique ecosystem, the Lake Urmia. The salinity ranges 330- 400 ppt at different areas of the lake and one can easily see salt crystallization on the surface of the lake with naked eye. It is interesting to know that Artemia is still struggling and fighting against this extreme salinity and one can observe them alive swimming in the lake. The lake has reduced in depth by over 6 meters and huge areas around the lake have dried up forming vast salty desert. It seems the lake is in the process of drying up and therefore Artemia urmiana and the water birds depending on the lake are being threatened to extinction. Based on research done by a number of international experts, the Urmia Lake has been the only home of Artemia urmiana, one of the oldest populations of Artemia who has inhabited the lake since millions of years. The lake is losing its international importance as a unique region for thousands/millions of migratory birds who used to spend their winter or lay eggs and feed their offspring with nutritious Artemia. As the lake is a major hub for migrating birds throughout Western Asia and Eastern Africa, the evolution in Lake Urmia is an issue transcending Iranian borders and is truly of global importance. Apart from its value for biodiversity, Urmia Lake can also play an important role in fulfilling Iran’s need for Artemia cysts, which are essential for a further development of Iran’s aquaculture industry. In the near future, this sector will become an increasingly important producer of animal protein for the nation’s human population. We therefore request the experts from all over the world to help in saving the Urmia Lake and its unique ecosystem. |
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