Baghdad: The Green Iraq Observatory has warned of the accelerating spread of the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in Iraqi waterways, noting that recent field monitoring has documented its transformation from isolated sightings to a confirmed presence within the marshland ecosystem.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Observatory explained in a statement: “The first documented record of this species in Iraq was in 2022, when six specimens were collected from the Tigris River near the Zubaydiya district in Wasit Governorate. By mid-2025, environmental researchers documented the first confirmed presence of the species within the Al-Jubayish marshes in Dhi Qar Governorate, marking the first official record of its entry into the protected marshland environment.”

The statement added: “Subsequent sightings have identified specimens of the fish in Baghdad, Nasiriyah, and the Hawizeh Marshes, in addition to recording large specimens in northern Iraq, indicating its expanding geographical range both north and south within a relatively short period.”

The observatory indicated that the actual number of fish remains unknown due to their recent appearance, and that their resistance to high salinity and pollution in the southern marshes has not yet been scientifically determined. This necessitates a comprehensive field survey to determine their true population density.

It warned that this fish, with its ability to breathe air directly, tolerate low oxygen levels, and reach weights of up to 60 kg, is an opportunistic predator that threatens local fish populations and their eggs in Iraq, which is home to more than 80 species of freshwater fish.