Wadi Sireen Reserve, which was set up in 1975, is home to one of the rarest and most timid mammals in the world known as the Arabian tahr or Arabian ibex.
The Arabian tahr is the smallest animal of its species (ibex) in the world. It is unique with a short body, hooked horns, reddish-brown hair, as well as a dark line that extends along the back. The male tahr has a long mane that covers its entire neck and continues to grow as the animal advances in age.
Wadi Sireen has the perfect environment for tahr to live such as mountain cliffs and rocky slopes. As with most mountain goats and sheep, they have rubber-like hooves to provide balance and traction on the steep, rocky slopes.
Wadi Sireen Reserve is located in the eastern Al Hajar Mountains about 45 kilometres southwest of Muscat Governorate.
The wadi borders three wilayats: Al Amerat, Qurayat, and Dima W’attayeen, and there are two entry points at Jabal Aswad or The Black Mountain and Jabal Abyad or The White Mountain.
Along with tahr, there are a number of animals which share Wadi Sireen such as Arabian gazelle, Arabian wolf, red fox, hedgehog, deer, Jayakar’s Oman lizard, common Kestrel, Egyptian vulture, sand partridge, Oman saw-scaled viper.
The Arabian tahr often lives alone or in a small group, and the adult males dig holes and remove rocks with their horns. In most cases, it is difficult to see these animals because they prefer to hide among the giant rocks.
It can survive without water for a long time. Sometimes it will drink every two or three days. Tahr feeds on vegetation like grasses, fruits, seeds and leaves.
REPRODUCTION
Environmental studies indicate when there is plenty of grass, after the monsoon, the female tahr gives birth twice in a year. Therefore, the rainy seasons are important for the reproduction of this species in its natural habitat. “The survival of the Arabian tahr remains a challenge for years to come, despite many protection programmes. The source of the threat is not limited to poaching, but also to the destruction of natural habitats due to urban expansion,” a biodiversity expert said.
The ibex is known as a dimorphic animal (formally distinct), meaning that the male ibex differs from the female in terms of shape. The male’s horns are characterised by their thickness and curve, while the female’s horns are small and less curved. The male is characterised by the density of its hair and the presence of black lines on the back and the bottom of the eyes, while the density of hair in the female is less. Old males also grow distinctive beards and a layer of hair on the upper half of the front legs, while females lack these characteristics.
Wadi Sireen contains 400 types of plant, ten of them are endemic and four are endangered species. Some of these are used in traditional medicine. It also has a dam which overflows after rains. This dam provides water for wild animals and birds. It also feeds wells, aflaj and springs in the region. There is a specialised team that protects this reserve from poachers.
People who wish to visit the reserve have to take permission from the Office for the Conservation of the Environment.
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY YAHYA AL SALMANI
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