Office for the Conservation of the Environment, Royal Diwan of Court has been bringing the public closer to the wildlife in unique ways.
For example, to mark the Eid Al Adha, there were special digital postcards featuring different animals such as the Arabian Oryx, Ibex etc.
And this week the office has a special treat for youngsters.
The tweet from the Office for the Conservation of the Environment extended an invitation to the young ones, “For our little heroes, story lovers - Tomorrow at 2 pm Via the Instagram account @oce_man to watch the cartoon, ‘Journey of the Little Adham Falcon’- from Oman to Madagascar. It is a public invitation to all.”
The message is to the young environmentalist and the promising generation, saying, “We wish you a happy and useful school holiday, and we are pleased to present you with a cartoon ‘Little Adham Falcon.’”
It was in December 2020, the Environment Conservation Office at the Diwan of Royal Court had declared a new list of animals as endangered and added new sets of “rare” wild birds and animals to the Centre of Breeding at live organisms and fungi sanctuary in the Governorate of Al Wusta.
The Oman News Agency reported that the step came in pursuance of support accorded to wildlife by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, as well as national efforts exerted by various parties to increase specialist research in environmental fields.
The report had quoted Dr Qais bin Abdullah al Rawahi, Director of Environment Affairs and Arabian Oryx Department at the Environment Conservation Office, saying that since 2013, the Environment Conservation Office has been promoting its programme of rearing sand gazelles and other Arabian gazelles.
He had added that, with effect from that year, the Environment Office had begun to diversify its stocks by adding different types of animals from the Arabian Peninsula, like the striped hyena, the genet, the mongoose, honey badger and a long list of bucks, wild sheep, ostrich and wild dogs. The establishment of nature reserves has been one of the keys to the success stories of conservation in Oman by not only protect the animals from being hunted, but also prevented encroachment of natural habitats.
The success story of the Arabian Oryx being introduced to the wilderness in Jiddat Al Harasis was the beginning, and the current trend is the Arabian Leopard. But it was the conservation measures taken for turtles that had a direct contribution to tourism and established Ras Al Hadd on the world map for nature enthusiasts looking out for ecotourism.
Protection of the natural habitats of the wildlife in Oman began in the early years of Oman’s modern Renaissance highlighting the importance of environment protection and conserving the biodiversity of Oman.
Oman’s list of nature reserves have been growing with Daimaniyat Islands, Ras Al Hadd, Arabian Oryx Sanctuary, Saleel Nature park, Jabal Samhan Nature Reserve and Khawrs (lagoons) Reserve of Dhofar Coast, but soon the interests grew on Barr al Hikman for its wetlands, coral reefs and birds, Al Jabal Al Akhdhar for the indigenous plants and trees, Masirah Coastal Area for loggerhead turtles and Jabal Ghahwan for Arabian Tahr, gazelles, leopards and birds.
The community involvement sees the recruitment of rangers from within the regions of the protected areas. However, the rangers have had challenges with poaching.
But when individuals are connected to the wildlife and made aware of their importance at a very early age and the need to protect them, then conservation becomes each person’s responsibility.
According to experts, some of the rare animal species that need protection in addition to Arabian Oryx, the Arabian Leopard, Muscat and Reem Gazelles are the Masirah Hare, Nubian Ibex, the Arabian Tahr, Grey Wolf, the Sand Fox, the Caracal and the striped Hyena, where as in marine mammals the ones that need protection are Sperm Whales and Humpback Whales. Amongst birds, experts say the ones that need protection are Ferruginous Duck, Great Spotted Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Sociable Plover, Slender-billed Curlew, White-eyed Gull and Golden -Winged Grosbeak.
Conservation is an education, earlier done the better.
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