Dr. Hani Jaber Al-Masoudi, Head of the Department of Applied Geography at the College of Education for the Humanities, University of Kerbala, participated in person in the scientific symposium entitled “The Status of Exotic and Invasive Animal Species: Between Environmental Risks and Economic Opportunities”. The symposium was organized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research / Department of Research and Development, in cooperation with the Research Center and Natural History Museum at the University of Baghdad. It aligns with the goals of environmental and sustainability themes (Life on Land – Life Below Water – Responsible Consumption and Production – Quality Education – Partnerships for the Goals).
The symposium aimed to monitor the spread of exotic and invasive species in Iraq, assess their impact on the environment and biodiversity, evaluate threats posed to native species, and examine their effects on ecological balance. Among the species discussed were: the giant African snail, the New World screwworm fly, the black widow spider, the red palm weevil, and African catfish.
The symposium featured numerous scientific lectures addressing a wide range of topics concerning various animal species that pose a threat to the Iraqi environment.
The symposium concluded with several key recommendations, most notably: raising public and cultural awareness regarding invasive animal species in the Iraqi environment through seminars and workshops; activating the role of agricultural and veterinary quarantine at border crossings; and limiting the spread of invasive species through environmentally friendly methods, such as the use of biological control.
