Wildlife in Oman
Whoever is travelling around Oman will quickly have the false impression that the only animals there are camels, goats and the large cowherds of Dhofar. Many animals however live in remote places, and some of them are even in danger of extinction.
In order to protect the wildlife, Sultan Qaboos decreed a hunting ban when he came to office and the Oryx antelopes, who had already died out in the wild, were resettled. Furthermore many other sanctuaries were set up for other rare animals, as for example for the Arabian tahr.
The sea off the coast of Oman is very rich in species. Whales and especially dolphins can often be observed here. The beaches of Masirah Island and Ras al Jinz are designated nature reserves for sea turtles.
Further more, many of Oman’s animals are only active at night; the attentive observer in the desert can, for example, discover the tracks of many beetles, scorpions and even snakes. (Although many snakes are poisonous, they are very timid and thus present practically no danger.) In addition to these, there are also Arabian sand hares, the Arabian wolf, foxes and, in the mountains, even leopards. But spotting the latter is even less likely than winning the lottery.
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