Iraq’s Southern Deserts Gaining Popularity With Gulf Hunters, Visitors

BAGHDAD, Iraq – The desert oases of southern Iraq are gaining popularity as hunting grounds and for safaris, attracting visitors from across the border in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar.

Many come to the deserts and valleys of Muthanna, Basra and Dhi Qar for desert safaris, exploring the vast wilderness in the three southern provinces. There is a name in Arabic for these desert enthusiasts: They are called “al-Saqari,” and they come from the Gulf region in an effort to return -- even briefly -- to their desert roots. 

Nights at the Amghar Oasis in Muthanna, 270 kilometers south of Baghdad, are sometimes perfumed with the aroma of brewing coffee, as the mournful notes of the Arabic rababa fiddle and soft verses of poetry praising the desert’s haunting beauty mix with the howls of hyenas and wolves.

The influx of tourists from the Gulf States, especially Qataris, and Iraqi nature lovers, have turned these oases into places for the exchange of cultures. Visitors from different parts avidly exchange stories, heard from parents and grandparents about a bygone way of desert life.

That way of life also includes hunting, which was done in the old days with falcons and hawks, and still has many enthusiasts today.

Sheikh Abu Talal, who comes from one of the Gulf States in a Chevrolet 4x4 loaded with a rifle and other hunting and camping gear, is looking for hunting-falcons and other birds of prey in the wilderness of Samawah, the capital of Muthanna.

“The desert of Samawah has the biggest and best types of hawks, but you need to be a skilled hunter,” Abu Talal explained. “I come here now and then to hunt. I return home with a large number of different hawks and rare birds,” said Talal. “We enjoy hunting greatly. It is our favorite hobby. Iraq is one of the countries where rare birds and animals are abundant.”

Hunting and falconry remain highly prized in the Gulf region, with reports of wealthy Arab sheikhs landing at desert strips in the region and in countries as far away as Pakistan for hunting, sometimes for endangered birds and other creatures.

Fawaz al-Sharifi, a government employee from Basra, said that the locals love the desert and are very conscious about preserving its richness.  One reason for respect is because Islam’s Prophet Muhammad would often retreat to the desert for meditation, he noted.

“You see and experience real beauty on these trips. We enjoy it, but we eat the fish we bring with us, because we cannot hunt the wild birds and animals. The majority of the people of Basra go on these trips,” he said.

Muhammad Hazzam, a sheikh from the Sadun tribe, similarly explained that exploring the deserts of Samawah is an adventure.

“On our trips we mostly take food with us and do not hunt. We take meat, chicken, eggs, cooking tools and a first aid kit,” he said.

“The road to al-Kasir is unpaved so we have to drive slowly,” he explained. “Most of us do not know the road well, and driving accidents in the sandy and limestone road is risky and sometimes worrisome when the car gets stuck.”

He said other hazards include the very ferocious wolves in some areas, and that desert nomads report deadly attacks by the beasts. “You do not hear about them until you venture out to the deserts,” he said.

Less than a year ago, no one imagined that visitors would come to enjoy the scenic beauty, nature and great heritage of southern Iraq, where the ancient Biblical city of Ur and other civilizations have been recorded.

Mohammed al-Barrak, a tour guide, said that tourists from Gulf countries include young and old, who come for safaris and hunts.

“The number of Iraqi and Gulf tourists has increased in the past few weeks,” he said. “These groups come to enjoy the desert life in the oases which most have not experienced before. They also come to hunt wild falcons and set traps for that purpose during the hunting season.”

Guides like Barrak are important, especially in places like the desert of al-Busayyah in Dhi Qar province. It is known for sand dunes so tall that one can get easily lost or separated from others, he said.

“It is popular among tourists and locals because they can practice many desert sports in that area, such as hunting with the region’s renowned falcons.”

The safaris take place during two seasons, the first beginning in October and the second in February, which is more popular with falconers.