Behesht-e Ma’esoomeh

Qom, 140 km south of Tehran, is home to large wetlands due to its geography and dry climate. With enormous environmental capacities, Qom hosts swamplands where nature lovers hit to experience an alluring trip.

The massive Behesht-e Ma’esoomeh, north of Qom, extends in a 5 hectare area. Although low rainfalls have in some ways affected the area, there is lots of research going on to protect the natural attraction. The good news is that the wetland is planned to become an eco-park in the near future.

The creation of the  wetland is ,in fact, linked to a series of desert springs, in the center of Iran’s great plateau, which join to form the permanent pond, in addition to shallow seasonal flows.  

The vegetation here is of note. Aquatic plants such as Phytoplanktons, Benettonian algae, reeds, and Herbaceous plants are abundant here (among other plants species).  The ecologically-fascinating land is a habitat for animals and birds as well: among the most important are eagles, vultures, swallows, herons, crows, ducks, geese, and hoopoes. Also flocks of migratory birds fly over to the lagoon in autumn and winter. The wildlife is bountiful: jackals, hyenas, and herds of sheep, and camels exist in the ecological community. The saturated land is also a haven for reptiles involving diverse snakes and lizards.

The territory of animals and plants is the host of many tourists and nature explorers. Birds watchers will adore the place: close encounter with a variety of birds is quite captivating. It might also be an informative journey for geologists and biology researchers.

As my last note, don‘t forget to record the interesting scenes of flying birds with your camera!