First Documented Record of Emperor Goose (Anser canagicus) in Iraq, with Notes on Identification and Potential Origin

Abstract

As part of the continuous monitoring the wildlife and biodiversity in Iraq by the Iraqi Organization for Conservation of Nature (IOCN), an individual Emperor Goose (Anser canagicus) was reported on mid-August 2025 to be found in Baiji, Central Iraq, a wetland habitat with dense reedbed and a running water on the main trunk of River Tigris. This species is normally confined to a cold regions quite far from Iraq and the Middle East, the matter that impulse IOCN team to search more on the authenticity of this odd claim. The observation was documented by the IOCN team where several photos were taken for the individual and the location where it was found at. The species is a dweller of the subarctic Pacific region, with breeding populations in western Alaska and far eastern Russia and wintering grounds in Alaska Peninsula and other neighboring areas. Except few published records reported from captivity in the UAE, there were no records obtained from the Middle East. This observation, therefore, represents an unprecedented extralimital occurrence. In this paper, we provide the details, description, and the photographic evidence of the occurrence of Emperor Goose (Anser canagicus) in Iraq, and a discussion of possible origins, including escape from captivity.