Muscat: A recent environmental study carried out by the Office for Environmental Conservation at the Diwan of the Royal Court, represented by the Environmental Affairs Department in Salalah, revealed a new scientific breakthrough, confirming the presence of the Arabian Leopard in the area west of the Wilayat of Dhalkut in the Governorate of Dhofar.
This study is considered the first scientific documentation of this rare species in the region. The study revealed the presence of eight types of wild mammals inhabiting the region, according to the indicators of relative density. These mammals are the Arabian wolf, Porcupine, genet, Lynx, Striped Hyena, Honey Badger, Mongoose, and Rock hyrax.
The results indicate the biological diversity in the area under study and its environmental importance, especially with its incubation of a number of wild mammals that are endangered or vulnerable to extinction according to the classification of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
It is worth noting that the Arabian Leopard is a rare breed of tigers that inhabits the Arabian Peninsula and has been classified by IUCN as being critically endangered.
This rare animal is found in the Sultanate in the Governorate of Dhofar. The field studies carried out by the Office for Environmental Conservation at the Diwan of the Royal Court for 23 years confirmed the presence of the Arabian Leopard along the mountains of Dhofar from Hasik in the east to the Wilayat of Dhalkut in the west, in addition to spotting it in the previous years in some Najd areas, north of the Dhofar Mountains.
The Sultanate, represented by the Diwan of the Royal Court, is making great and continuous efforts to preserve and protect the Arabian Leopard from extinction. These relentless efforts have contributed to the stability of its numbers and the preservation of the sustainability of its natural habitats in Dhofar. --ONA
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