Arabian Wildlife f

c THE SULTANATE OF OMAN 'v t Oman can offer a compelling sense of exploration and discovery, and a f. ------'-.,..-0 wildlife holiday that few would imagine possible. Tourism aim ed specif­ s ically at those interested in the natural environment, or eco-tourism, 1:: ~..~ w-il ii ii; :~ may be th e keystone to the future of the industry in Ornan . h l, . TOllri s1I1 Thoughtfully planned and carefully managed it will allow for the J III ?;.'.'Arab ia. generation of revenue without clashing with conservation concerns and " '~,~~~~~~ ;,~. cultural heritage. The stark beauty and wide range of co ntrasting landscapes that characterize the country create habitats for a wealth of wildlife. Among the variety of fauna and flora are millions of migrant wading birds passing through year after year; entire marine ecosystems unique to science; mountain, desert and shorehne plants of ~ stunning diversity; desert dwellers of surprising abundance; endangered Arabia n mammals like leopard and oryx; seashells of exquisite nature; cora l reefs that stud the ~ sea with vibra nt colours; innumerable endemic fish; whales and dolphins from coast to coast and turtles that nest in numbers matched by no other country on the pLanet. And alongside the naturaL wealth is a culture as rich as the sea, mountain and desert environmen ts with which it ha s arisen. THE MOUNTAINOUS NORTH DESERTS Wadis dissect the mountains of northern The deserts of Oman vary from the and central Oman and provide the only rolling sand seas of the Wahiba, with means of access to many areas. While most classic photogenic dunes of rich gold, wadis are seasonal, some have a constant to the flat ston y Jiddat al Harasis in flow of water, attracting settlement and also central Oman and the Rub al-Khali or wildlife. Red foxes are frequent evening 'Empty Quarter' further south, where visitors, skirting the villages in search of individual mountains of sand rise from scraps. Mountain gazelle are still a regular a flat desert and stretch endlessly Bille-cheeked Bee-enler sight and their 'v' shaped hoof prints across the border into Saudi Arabia. WHITE ORYXPROJECT Ba (distinct from the two parallel imprints left However, far from being empty, the desert In the flat stony desert of central Oman live by a goat hoof) are easy to find in sandy is host to a surprising amount of wildlife. the famous Arabian oryx. Once hunted to areas. Hares, which include a race unique to Caracallynx, sand foxes and wild sand cats, extinction in the wild, th e last herds we re Dl Oman, small rodents and even wolves may with hair-cove red feet that help provide seen in this area in the ea rly 19705. as still be found, although the latter are more g rip in 50ft sand, are some of the larger Fortunately a s mall co ll ection of zoo SIT likely to be seen further south. predators. Rheem gazelle, Arabia's largest animals existed in a number of separate co To access many of the areas where gazelle, also seem to prefer sandy regio ns. localities around the world from w hi ch co' wildlife is more commonly encountered On rocky outcrops, such as the Hugf suitably mixed herds could be assembled. Be means leaving your vehicle and continuing escarpment to the eas t of the Jiddat a l Now, reintrodu ced herds enjoy the fre on foot. Blue-headed agamid lizard s will Harasis plains, live Nubian ibex. They are protection of the conservation-minded ways hil scurry from sun-drenched rocks at your also found in more mountainous areas in of the local Haras is tribes, members of cla approach and 'water snakes' (most Oman. The males, in particular, are an which have become their guard ian rangers. Ar commonly, racers) will lie in wait in, or at impressive sight, sporting magnificent Vegetation, nourished by sea blown mists, An the edge of, pools for unsuspecting fi sh, horns with which they spar for females. The s upports the oryx numbering over 230 d t' other reptiles, Arabian toads and even desert provides habi tat too for skinks, animals, many of which were born in the AI rodents that dare to venture to the water's lizards and geckos a nd their more deadly wild. Some are even second generation wild COl edge to drink. Bats can be found in many of cousins, such as the saw-scales or carpet animals. World-wide the Arabian or White sue the extensive cave systems and birds of prey viper and the horned adder. A host of small Oryx Project in Oman is heralded as one of Th such as Egyptian Vultures and, for the rodents survive the desert heat despite the the most successful animal reintroduction tre lucky, Golden Eagles, circle above high metabolic rates of small mammals. A schemes ever attempted and the entire are" W e magnificent mountain panoramas. A trip to number of species of gerbils, jirds, jerboas, where the oryx now roam has been the see the remarkable juniper forests at the mice, shrews and ra ts have all adapted to designated a world heritage park. dis 3000 metre summit of Jabal Shams ('Sun life under harsh conditio ns . Flocks of are Mountain') is well worth the effort, if only Coronetted, Chestnut-bellied, Spotted and DHOFAR AfI to take in the breathtaking views on top of Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse can be regularly Precambrian basement sedime nts ha ve dis Arabia's highes t peak. Here is one of the seen at precise times, soaking their modified formed the Dhofar m ou ntains in the far me few places in the peninsula where snowfall breast feathers in precious watering holes south of Oman. The mountai ns and narrow the is not unexpected in winter months. Visitors and transporting the stored water to ground coastal belt benefit each year from moisture­ to Oman's northern mountains should also nests some distance away. There are very laden south-west monsoon winds or khareef. wa keep a vigilant eye open for the nimble­ few people, even those who have visited Rains from early July to th e end of August mo footed tahr, a ra're and shy goat-like animal desert environments many times, who are a nd heavy mists create lush green hillsides lim confined and unique to this small, not continually surprised and enthralled by and cool temperatures more reminiscent of feet mountainous part of the world. the activity and profusion of wildlife. an En glish spring than an Arabian summer. Ra;

30 Volume 2, Number 2 Volt Arabian Wildlife Sultanate of Oman

Immediately behind the mountain range the freshwater. Pools remain in many of the Sh uwaymiyah. The wadi forms a huge desert heat continues to scorch the earth. wadi beds long after water has ceased to snaking canyon, sided by dramatic vertical With obvious reason, this seasonal flo"v and some, such as Wadi Darbat, cliffs of white limesto ne. Long fingers of transition has created a haven for many contain a constant s upply of water for porous tra vertine form stalacti tes along forms of w ildlife and has made possible resident and passing wildlife. Heading east overhanging cliff edges and deep spectacular mountain drives and hikes. The from Sa la la h, monsoon clouds qu ickl y permanent pools of sweet water are best time to visit is September, when mists disp erse as they spill o ver the mountain advertised by the g row th of surrounding have lifted to reveal the luxuriant green tops of the Jabal Samhan. Similarly, Jabal al vegetation. The scenery is faSCinatin g and land sca pe. Qamar to the west only enjoys monsoon q uite breath-taking and the canyons form a natural refuge fo r wildlife and may be considered a valuable national n a ture reserve. Hyrax, a colonial rodent-like anim El I that through its bone s tructure shows a co mmon ancestry with elephElnt Elnd rhinoceros, will issue its warning to others on the approach of human visitors and dart into the many nooks and crannies between boulders on the canyon floors. Hyaena, ibex and gazelle are among man y other mammals to be seen and Green Pigeons can be found roosting in wild fig trees, while owls call at night. Wadi Shuwaymiya h lies in a remote and difficult region to access. Perhaps this is fortunate, for the wealth of natural bea uty ma y remain relatively untouched and undisturbed. The coast of Dhofar boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in the Sultanate. At certain times of the year many of these beaches are criss-crossed by the tracks of turtles tha t return seasonally to nest. The beaches below the spectacular heEldlands and cliffs of Ra'as Hamar, ju st half an hour's Baobab Tree drive west of Salalah, is one place where it is The capital of th e southern region o f mists and rains d uri ng exceptional years. possible, in late summer mo nths, to watch Dhofar is Salalah, known throughout Arabia However, even where the green ery ends, both green a nd loggerhead turtles nesting 3. as 'The Garden City' . It has the feel of (I wildlife thrives. Leopard, caracal, hyaena, simultaneously. o small E(lst African coastal town, relaxed, wolf and ratel all find territories along with :e cool and humid and rife w ith b a na na, many otbers. Hedgehogs and the nocturnal TURTLE -WATCHING h coconut, sugarcane and papaya plantations. vegetarian po rcupines leave evid ence of There are, in fact, four species of turtle that :I. Beyond the plains of Salalah where their presence with a handful of shed quills, nes t in Oman, (the hig hl y e nda ngered Ie frankincense trees g row, rise the wooded and birds PElSS through in their thousa nds. hawksbill and the rare-for-the-region olive rs hillsides of Jabal Qara. The vegetation tha t Where wadis reach the sea, lagoons, or ridley, a re the other two), some in world )f clads the southern mountains is unique in khors, form along the coast, acting as a focal record a nd globally significant numbers. s. Arabia The dominant and e nd em ic point for wildlife, especially birds. Reeds The best location for turtle-watching is Al10geissus dhofarica was only SCientifically Elnd reedmace typically line the landward about 400 km south-east of Musca t, not far described in 1979 despite its abundance. rims of th e khors while the sa lt tolerant from the dhow-building port of Sur, at Ra's Among the vegeta tion are trees m ore mang rove trees spread to seaward in more al Hadd. Here green turtles nest all year commonly associated with Africa and Asia, saline conditions . Some o f the more round in numbers that exceed any other such as the enormous and bi zarre baobab. spectacular birds to frequent Oman are to be single loca tion in the India n Ocea n (see There is a population of about 50 baobab found in khors. The stately fl amingo filters Arabian Wildlife, Vol 1, No.2). trees growing o n the sloping valJeys of food from the shallow sediments, colourful Permits are provided by the Ministry of Wadi Hinna, not far from Salalah. Perhaps ducks, storks, stilts, plovers, sa nd pi pers, Regional Municipalities and Environment these are a reli ct population of a once wider egrets a nd herons wade nearby and the for camping in the Ra's al Hadd area, which distribution of th e species or perhaps they glossy ibis feeds on insects at the water's are a reminder o f early trad ers from East edge. Some of the khors are set aside as Africa . The desert rose is an attractive and reserve a reas where visitors are not allowed. re distincti ve plant which was used for However, the majority will remain open to H medicina l purposes by the Jibbali people of the public provided that due care and W the Dhofar hills respect is paid to the wildlife and its fragile e­ Although there are no permElnent habitat. ef. watercourses in Dhofar, during the To the north-east of Salalah, still in the st monsoon great waterfEllls tu mble over southern province of Dhofar, is a beautiful es limestone cliffs into the sea severili hundred sand beach 30 km in length that sweeps the of feet below, and springs such as those a t Ayn bay that is the mouth of Oman's largest and

~ r. Razat and Ayn Jarsis bubble with probably most spectacular wadi - Wadi Nubian Ibex 2 Volume 2, Number 2 31 Sultanate of Oman Arabian Wildlife ------ha s been designClted a national nature ECO-TOURISM IN OMAN reserve. The campsite to which visitors are The government of Oman, particularly USEFUL ADDRESSES restricted is situated Clt two of the prime through the Ministry of RegionCll nesting beaches. Turtle-watching tourists Municipalities and Environment, h Cls for the Sultanate of Oman are guided by loca lly employed turtle cMried o ut many scientific s tudies and All of the tour companies in the Sultanate should wardens from nearby villages, such as RCl 's surveys in order to set aside key regions of be aware of the rules and regulations governing al Junays. Rules and r egulations are importClnce to wildlife ClS protected areas. wildlife observati on and visits to protected areas, des igned to prevent disturbance of th e but there is rea lly o nly o ne that is especially The Directorate General of Na ture interes ted and educa ted in eca-tourism. Aries globally endangered turtles, but still allow Protectorates is in the process of plClnning Tours, run by Heide Biel from the AI Falaj hotel for good viewing. The sight of a full grown legislation and effective natural reserve (PO Box 2031, Ruwi 112. Tel 968- 702311), is female turtle emerging from the seCl to la y systems to ensure the conservation of ex tremely well equipped to cater for almost any of her eggs as her ancestors have been doing natural resources. Similarly, the Directorate the varied preferences of wildlife enthusiasts. The Historical Association of Oman (PO Box s for the PClS t 90 million years, is an exciting General of Tourism is, Clt the time of writing, 3941 , Ruwi 112, Oman) is a non-governmental 1 experience that is not eClsily forgotte n. reviewing policies and investigating the organization that has a speC ial interes t in th e I, Photography is encouraged only at dawn, possibility of eco-tourism in new areClS. natural h.i story of the Su ltanate. They will also be a Visitors to Oman who wish able to direct you to speCialist orga ni zations such as th e Horticultural Society, PO Box 1591, CPO f to view the na turClI wildlife 111, Oman. Tel 968-797252. E and beauty of the country Birdwatchers can obtain information and copies of To should be a WClf e thClt some the Olllan Bird List from the Oman Bird Records B Committee, PO Box 246, Muscat 113, O man. areas ma y soo n be placed a under controlled access and The Oman Natural History Museum (ON HM) (PO Box 668, Muscat 113, Oman; Tel 968-605400) a it is sens ible to seek the houses superb displays of most of the wildlife to vI advice of officiClls for up-to­ be found in Oman, including a sec t-ion on marine d fauna and fl ora and a separate and outstanding date information. V\ We should all remember whale hall. A ne wly form ed volunteer w hal e rescue team, contactable through ONHM, may be V\ our responsibility to protect able to provid e additional informati on on where OmCln's wildlife and its and when to watch whales and dolphins at sea. d, range of valuable habitats. Diving anywhere in Oman is nlonitored by th e A Oman Diving Federation (PO Box 199, Medinat As a country n e w to the of concept of eco-tourism, both Qaboos 115, Oman; Tel 968-950261) through the § Oman Dive Cent re (ODC) a t Bandar Ji ssah. in the environmen t and the Permits must be obtained fr om the ODC before th Leopard culture of a di stinct and entering the underwater world (at a current daily cc using natural lighting so as to avoid deserving people require time to adapt to rate of one Omani rial). The ODC is extremely well at disturbance to both nesters and hatchlings. the pressures that are inevitably forced equipped and offers overnight camping trips and traditional dhow cruises among its range of dive th The best months of the year to watch turtles upon them by the tourism industry. Those excursi ons. bE Me August and September. Nesting people fortunate enough to explore the The Arabian Seas Expediti on has produced a half 10 numbers are high and the chance of seeing Sultanate tod ay will be the first to hour film on diving in Oman, aimed at the diving hatchlings is also very good. However, it is acknowledge the need to protect the fragile tourist. Fi lms ore available from PO Box 50119, unlikely that you will be disappointed at ecosystems a nd the sensiti ve culture of a Medinat Qaboos 11 5, Oman; Tel 968-736230 or through the Directorate General of Tourism, PO any time of the year. beautiful country for those who will explore Box 550, Muscat 11 3, Oman; Tel 968- 774331. and enjoy it in the future. UNDERWATER OMAN There is a wea lth of sce nery, wildlife, Rob Baldwin pleasure and opportunity awaiting divers in the Sultanate of Oman. There is also the constant promise of discovery o f new places, species and phenomena. Much of the rocky coast a nd islClnds of the Sultanate with their many exciting underwater sites are easily Clccessible to divers. The water is warm all year round and the underwater world offers dramatic scenery, close contact with nature, and great opportunity for exploratory diving. A lucky few have even W dived with whales in OmClI1 and snorkelling DE with dolphins is a hobby of those who have on taken time to get to know these intelligent th( and lovable marine mammals. There remain ph many areas that have never been dived an before and knowing that you are the first err human being to view a particular site arE conveys a sense of excitement and antici­ do pation. The observant are rewarded with SUI new species of fishes, corals, shells and dis almost any other form of marinelife. an( to Wadi Darbal 32 Volume 2, Number 2 Vol