Conserving biodiversity: a government priority
Numerous conservation projects and guardianship plans have been in place for decades: projects for the multiplication of mangroves, the growth of wild trees, gazelles, the management of coastal areas, and so on. And since development and the environment go hand in hand, companies are subject to the ISO 14 000 international environmental standard, which aims to ensure that a company's impact on its natural environment is known and controlled. As an oil producer, the government has also drawn up an oil spill contingency plan. Prevention exercises are regularly carried out in collaboration with Petroleum Development Oman, the Royal Police and the Ministry of Defense. Two other projects are worth mentioning: coral reef management by controlling the impact of human activity on coral reefs; and an anti-desertification program drawn up in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The aim of the latter plan is to evaluate and establish anti-desertification procedures (tree replanting, etc.) and identify the factors affecting the stability of Dhofar's humid climates. At the same time, in 1992, following the Rio Environment Summit, Oman signed the Convention on Biological Diversity. In the wake of the 2002 Johannesburg Summit, the country took the necessary global steps towards sustainable development.
A varied and protected fauna and flora
The date palms in the palm groves, the incense tree in Dhofar, the oryx reserve in the desert, camels, migratory birds and marine fauna (especially turtles and dolphins) are all part of the Sultanate's biodiversity. They are located according to the climate and topography of the various regions.
Wildlife
Despite an often inhospitable environment (much arid and rocky land), the sultanate boasts a wide variety of animals, some of which are endangered. For this reason, all wild species are protected by royal decree. Hunting is prohibited on land and in the sea, and poaching is severely punished. The government has also created marine parks to protect the seabed and nature reserves to safeguard mammals such as the Arabian leopard, oryx, tahr, Nubian ibex, etc.
Mammals. Although difficult to observe, several varieties of mammals flourish in the Sultanate: antelopes (several species), Arabian tahr (wild goats), ibex (a type of mountain ibex found mainly in the Eastern Hajar), damas (or rock rabbit), mouflon, hare, several species of porcupine... Among the carnivores: arabian leopard, cheetah (very, very rare), wild cat, hyena, desert lynx, Arabian red fox, jackal, caracal... The most remarkable gazelle is the oryx: the desert antelope par excellence, the largest in the Arab world, with long, tapering horns up to 90 cm long. An entire reserve, open to the general public, is dedicated to it in the Al Wusta region, in the south of the country. More mundane, but of great importance, the dromedary criss-crosses the country.
Birds. More than 500 different species have been identified, of which around one hundred are thought to remain permanently in the country, the others being transients. The country lies on the migratory routes between Europe, Africa and Asia, and temporarily attracts a wide variety of birds, most of which can be seen from November to March. With 3,000 km of coastline, Oman is home to as many shorebirds as land birds. Close to the capital, two birdwatching sites are ideal: the Qurm Park nature reserve and the Al-Ansab lagoon near the Ghala district (swallows, herons, sugarbirds, bee-eaters, ferruginous ducks, etc.). 50 km north of Muscat, near Al-Sawadi, a saltwater lagoon is also home to herons, gulls, sea swallows and other birds. There are also swifts, larks, pipits, warblers and more. While the north of the country welcomes birds from Europe and Asia, the south is home to those from Africa. Flycatchers, flamingos, egrets, ibises, coots, terns, etc. can all be seen in the Dhofar region, which is the richest in the sultanate in terms of avifauna. The Al-Hallaniyat islands are renowned for their variety of gannets. Masirah Island is home to flamingos, terns, plovers, gulls and cormorants. The country is also home to many birds of prey: owls with wingspans of over a metre, ospreys, falcons, vultures, steppe, speckled, golden or imperial eagles, etc. Several species are the subject of scientific research. Several species are protected, such as the Houbara bustard, an omnivorous bird adapted to semi-desert environments, with a wingspan of up to 1.5 meters. An Oman Bird List is regularly updated for amateur and/or professional ornithologists.
Reptiles. The sandy and rocky expanses are home to numerous reptiles, including lacertilians such as desert lizards and several species of geckos, skinks (a family of lizards with many species) and snakes, some of which are highly venomous (black desert cobra, horned viper...). At sea, turtles are king (see below).
Marine animals. More than 3,000 km of coastline conceal many treasures, starting with a very large population of sea turtles, of which 5 of the 7 known species pass through Omani territorial waters and/or breed on the sultanate's shores. The most popular beaches for reptile-watching are those of the Sharqiyah region (notably the Ras Al-Jinz Reserve near Sur), Masirah Island to the east and the Hallaniyat Islands to the southeast. Off the coast, dolphins are also a common sight, particularly in Muscat, Musandam in the north and Dhofar in the south, where numerous agencies offer whale-watching trips. In fact, cetaceans thrive in almost all the sultanate's waters, forming a battalion of varied species: bottlenose dolphin, humpback dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, bottlenose dolphin and more. Humpback whales are also thought to pass offshore in the Al-Wusta and Dhofar regions..
The seabed is renowned for its abundance of plankton, attracting a wide variety of fish, which many diving clubs offer the chance to get close to. These include surgeonfish, butterflyfish, angelfish, groupers, sergeant majors, rays, moray eels, sharks and more. More classically, there are also tuna, barracuda, red mullet and sardines (tens of thousands), generally exported to foreign markets for consumption. Night diving is commonly practiced in Oman to observe lobsters and bioluminescent starfish. It's also an opportunity to get up close and personal with some half-asleep species, and to appreciate the vitality of others at dusk. The Sultanate's seabed is also renowned for its numerous caves and tunnels, home to a specific marine fauna, and for its corals, which may be less abundant than in other parts of the globe, but are nonetheless worthy of note.
The flora
Contrary to popular belief, deserts and rocky areas are not dead zones, but home to specific vegetation adapted to inhospitable conditions. At the same time, Oman rolls out fertile lands and has some areas where the flora is quite dense. This is the case of Dhofar, the southern region bordering Yemen, which, as a specific feature of this part of the world, benefits from a monsoon from July to September. The vegetation is luxuriant: a forest of semi-deciduous trees, coconut palms galore, a wide variety of species including a large number of succulents, myrrh trees and, above all, the famous incense tree(boswellia sacra), which has contributed to the wealth and fame of the sultanate since the dawn of time. Another area with abundant flora in the depths of winter is Jebel Akhdar, an area with sufficient humidity for trees and shrubs to flourish. The Sayq plateau in particular is known for its fruit orchards and rose plantations, from which a floral water is made. Fragrant and edible, it is used in culinary preparations or as a home fragrance. The green mountain (literal translation of "djebel Akhdar"), whose peaks rise to over 3,000 meters, also boasts several types of vegetation distributed by altitude: many acacias in the lower zones, jujube trees, ficus, euphorbia, caralluma, olive trees (with very small olives) in the middle zone, and junipers above 2,300 meters.
National parks and nature reserves
To preserve the richness of its natural heritage, the Sultanate has declared several marine and land areas protected zones. Such is the case of the Daymaniyat Islands (near Muscat), an archipelago comprising a dozen islets and several submerged rocks. The latter offer a dozen diving sites and form splendid coral gardens inhabited by large pelagic fish, turtles, rays, leopard sharks and more. The sanctuary also serves as a breeding ground for a large number of hawksbill turtles, as well as an important bird population. In the city, in the heart of Muscat, the Qurm Park Nature Reserve is a favorite spot for migratory birds and mangroves(Qurm means "mangrove" in Arabic). Along the coastal strip linking the capital with the Dhofar region to the south, several areas are also protected. A few kilometers from Al Kamil, the 220 km² Al Saleel Nature Park offers a favorable ecosystem for Arab gazelles and, in very limited numbers, a few wolves, wild cats, red foxes and Egyptian eagles. 65 km east of Sur, the Ras Al-Jinz Reserve, with a total surface area of 120 km² including 45 km of coastal shoreline, is one of the world's largest green turtle nesting sites (scientific center on site and organized tours). Much further south, in the Dhofar region, the Khawr Nature Reserve comprises a group of eight lagoons around Salalah, whose vegetation and cool water support certain fish species and attract a large population of birds. No fewer than 200 varieties, some of them migratory, have been spotted. On land this time, still in Dhofar, the Jabal Samhan Nature Reserve, with a total surface area of 4,500 km², is one of the last refuges of the Arabian leopard and is also home to the Arabian gazelle, the Nubian ibex, the Cape hare, the Indian crested porcupine, the desert hedgehog and several bird species. Other predators include the caracal, striped hyena and Arabian wolf. Finally, in the middle of nowhere, in the rocky desert region of Al-Wusta in the south-central part of the country, the Sultanian reserve Jiddat-al-Harasis, open to the public, has served as a habitat for the reintroduction of the Arabian oryx.
