User:Jjt010/Wildlife of Iraq

Article body
Due to its diversity in biomes from the Mesopotamian marches along the Euphrates River to the semi-arid deserts, Iraq is home to a wide variety of endemic animals and animals that are well-known worldwide for their prevalent populations.

Mammals The Eurasian otter and the smooth-coated otter are carnivorous semiaquatic mammals located in the marshes and rivers whose diets consist of primarily fish, amphibians, crustaceans, insects and birds, but their populations have seen a decline since the 1970s. The Persian leopard is a large carnivorous feline located in the northern forest whose diet consists of primarily wild goats. A small population was recorded for the first time at the beginning of the 21st century in the border region between Iraq and Turkey. The sand cat whose presence was recorded for the first time in the desert of Al-Najaf is a small carnivorous feline located in the sandy deserts (diet consists of small rodents, cape hare, greater hoopoe lark, desert monitor, sandfish, cerastes vipers). The Wildcat is a small feline located primarily in forest whose diet consist of rodents, birds, small reptiles and poultry. The Rüppell's fox is a small omnivorous canine that located in deserts north of the Euphrates river whose diet consists of insects, small mammals, lizards, and birds. The Marbled polecat is a omnivorous weasel located in deserts of N.Iraq whose diet consists of small rodents, birds, lizards, fish, frogs, fruit, and grass. The Small Indian mongoose small omnivorous weasel located in the alluvial plains whose diet consists of insects(dragonflies, grasshoppers, mole crickets, ground beetles, earwigs), rodents, amphibians, reptiles, small birds, small grasses, small fruits. The Goitered gazelle is a herbivorous antelope that is located in mountains and areas of broken terrain. The Wild boar is a omnivorous swine located in the marshes and along the numerous rivers in Iraq whose diet consists of plants(rhizomes, roots, bulbs, tubers, nuts, berries, seeds, leaves, bark, twigs, shoots), earthworms, insectivores, insects, rodents, bird eggs, lizards, snakes, frogs, and carrion. The Bactrian camel is located in varying habitats from rocky mountains to arid deserts and has a herbivorous diet that consists of various kinds of vegetation. The European hare is a herbivorous rodent located in the plateaus of Iraq and along the Tigris river.

Other mammals include:


 * Indian crested porcupine
 * Caucasian squirrel
 * Broad-toothed field mouse
 * Yellow-necked mouse
 * House mouse
 * Black rat
 * Short-tailed bandicoot rat
 * Indian gerbil
 * Sundevall's jird