OMAN - MAINLY MAMMALS

[johnweir]

GREEN SEA TURTLE (Chelonia mydas) several were seen on this trip, particularly in and around Mirbat harbour. It was pleasing to see our first ever wild sea turtles, also in the harbour we recorded 2 Olive Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys olivaceous). Sea turtles are having a hard time at the moment, they were relatively common in the waters around Mirbat, which was pleasing to see, I believe they are well protected.

 

In November (2024) my wife and I spent 9 days in Oman mainly searching for mammals, although during the day when not resting some birding was enjoyed. I am fairly sure Oman has not been covered by a trip report on Safaritalk before, in fact I had to check which continent to list the report under. (The Sultanate of Oman is a country on the southeastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula in southwestern ASIA). This was a group trip for 6, most of whom we had travelled with before, so we knew we were on the same page with regard to target species, activities etc. It was arranged by Wise Birding, our preferred tour operator for rare cat sightings, we have enjoyed success on several of their small group trips specifically aimed at rare mammals. We flew Edinburgh - Heathrow, Heathrow - Muscat, Muscat- Salalah with BA and Air Oman, we had to overnight in the excellent Sofitel Heathrow (luxury) on the return trip. This was a single location trip and we would stay in the small coastal town of Mirbat (S.W. Oman) which is around 50km east of Salalah. Lodgings were basic but clean and comfortable, lots of hot water and we ate out several restaurants near the locations we explored. The food was mainly of an Indian influence (street food), so it was disappointing not to have enjoyed some Omani dishes, however no 'tummy' issues were reported. No alcohol was available, it is only available in the larger more western hotels and is very expensive apparently. The weather was hot during the day circa 30°C, pleasant at night and decidedly cool on the plateau above the Dhofar Mountains in the late afternoon, no rain at all during the visit. Insect bites unexpectedly proved to be an issue, however this is a none malaria area. Our local guide was Hatem, who was great and had a deep knowledge of the natural history of the area and in particular expertise in pelagic birds and mammals.

Oman has been on the serious birdwatchers agenda for many years, in fact during our stay we met several groups from all around the world, all of whom were having a very positive experience, circa 230+ species on a 10 day trip, including lots of Arabian endemics. All I can say is that if you have an interest in birding Oman should be on your wish list, it is a birder's paradise. I think what has happened over the years is that birding groups in their search for possibly Owls, Nightjars etc. at night have pushed deeper into some of the river valleys around the coast (Wadis) and they started to record some very interesting mammals. The species were often familiar, but at subspecies level were different to those seen elsewhere. A good example would be the infamous Honey Badger, in Oman it is the Arabian Ratel and is not the same subspecies found in Africa, although it looks very similar. These sightings when published started to interest those with a particular interest in mammals, like ourselves, so today interest in the area is certainly growing. Out targets for this trip were Asiatic Caracal, Arabian Wildcat, some decent pelagic bird images and a Crab Plover.

A word of warning, if you want 'wall to wall' mammal sightings, Oman is not the wildlife watching location for you. Firstly you need to work very hard for sightings, mainly at night and often well into the night. Secondly sightings are often (unless you are very lucky) only from a considerable distance, making meaningful photography almost impossible. Decent binoculars are vital for a trip here and my thermal imaging scope again came in very useful. Having said that, eventual sightings can be very rewarding.

The area around Mirbat is simply stunning, the coastal plains have the impressive Dhofar Mountains as a magnificent backdrop. As you climb into the foothills some of the ecosystems are unbelievably lush and fertile, fed by moisture produced by moisture-laden clouds which are blown inland  at certain times of the year from the Indian Ocean, the moisture becomes trapped by the mountain barrier and condenses producing a very damp and humid environment . You certainly wouldn't think you were in a desert country whilst exploring the foothills. Once on the summit plateau however the landscape quickly reverts to rocky desert.

JEBEL SAMHAN (Mountain Viewpoint), an apparent birding hotspot for Verreaux's Eagle, we saw none. The image shows the Dhofar Mountains, plateau and surrounding foothills.

This image is taken from the viewpoint out towards the coast and gives an impression of the numerous dry wadi's, many of which we explored particularly at night.

This image is taken from the plateau and shows the moisture-laden clouds starting to roll in.

This image once again taken from the plateau shows just how intense the incoming clouds are. We spent 2 late afternoon sessions up here on the plateau looking for Nubian Ibex with no success. There is a military checkpoint here and we needed a permit which had been secured by our guide, allowing us to explore the area.  We had the area to ourselves both days.

This wadi with running water was close to the coast, it was one of the most beautiful unspoilt habitats we have ever visited, paradise, very bird rich but we struggled for mammals here even at night. Lots of bats though, Egyptian Rousette and Dhofar Pipestrelle and possibly Arabian Sheath-tailed Bats. Can you believe this is a desert country?

 

The Dhofar Mountains are the home to one of the rarest big cats on the planet, The Arabian Leopard (CR). Obviously we weren't expecting a sighting, as even researchers who have been tracking them for several years, have in the main only seen them on camera track footage.They are highly protected and numbers appear to be around 100 in this area, they are only now found in the Dhofar Mountains (their stronghold?) and one or two other isolated locations on the Arabian Peninsula. However we did hear that a leopard had been sighted well recently in a car park near the Mountain Viewpoint during the day time, so we were definitely in leopard country. 

 

The format for each day of the trip was basically the same, long night drives (we were well prepared after Borneo), breakfast in our room, rest in the morning apart from one day when we went out early on a boat trip for pelagic birds and cetaceans. Some afternoon bird or cetacean watching which then led into the night drive. At some locations we visited at night we did some walking at others sat patiently hoping for success. So generally it was quite a demanding trip, certainly without the emphasis on night drives mammal sightings would have been minimal.  In this short report I will highlight some of our sightings, the trip itself was a huge success and we realised several of our targets.  

 

On our first night as we entered Wadi Darbat, I picked up on my thermal the strong image of a wolf, and we watched as it quickly ran for cover. This particular image was taken later in the trip. ARABIAN WOLF Canis lupus arabs, a member of the Grey Wolf family, but very different to its cousins, they are smaller, have a much thinner coat and significantly larger ears. (Desert adaptations?). They were commonly seen on the trip always at dusk and night, singly, in small groups and on one occasion in a large pack of at least 8 . They were  often found close to urban development and major roads, possibly drawn by camel roadkill. Some were quite bold whilst others were very nervous. 

 

WADI DARBAT, is possibly the main location in the area for mammal sightings, however it is a most unusual wadi, not what I had expected. A tarmac road leads about 4 miles into the wadi, which terminates at a public park with facilities. It has a stream, pasture and some housing either side of the road. However most of the Omani mammals have been recorded at sometime in this developed wadi. We had some of our best sightings here, usually late at night, when it was quiet. There were lots of cattle and camels wandering about at all times, a very strange wildlife location, we visited several times. 

 

ARABIAN SPOTTED EAGLE- OWL ssp. milesi, Wadi Darbat. The most commonly seen owl on the trip, very common in all habitats.

 

On the 2nd day late afternoon, we visited this wadi looking for Rock Hyrax. In Oman camels are found everywhere even wandering in numbers on busy motorways.

This was a more typical wadi than Wadi Darbat and eventually we found in small numbers what we had come for.

ROCK HYRAX (ETHIOPIAN) Procavia capensis habessinicus, just a different subspecies to those found in Africa.

 There were actually 3 in this group. Very typical Rock Hyrax habitat.

Other mammals seen by this stage:

DHOFAR WHITE-TOOTHED SHREW Crocidura dhofarensis RARE & ENDEMIC

ARABIAN RED FOX Vulpes v. arabica commonly seen throughout the trip in all habitats, similar morphological adaptations to a desert environment as the Wolf. Several appeared not to be in good condition. Generally nervous.

 

MORE TO FOLLOW.

[offshorebirder]

13 minutes ago, johnweir said:

targets for this trip were ... some decent pelagic bird images and a Crab Plover.

 

A man after my own heart.  I hope you got some nice Bulwer's Petrel shots.

 

Well done on the Arabian Wolf!   I also like the Green Sea Turtle shot.  That is a good sighting.

 

Thanks for this trip report @johnweir.  I fear my bucket list may be expanding soon.

 

[Tom Kellie]

~ @johnweir:

 

Many thanks for this trip report.

 

This is an area about which I've often wondered.

 

It's good to know that your tour operator was satisfactory.

 

Your images and information are especially appreciated.

 

      Tom K.

[michael-ibk]

Very interesting report John, I also went to Oman this February with @xelas , Zvezda and @Andmic, albeit with a different focus, for us it was birding only. As you say, it is a well birded country with many top locations. No Trip report (yet?), only posted about this in my Big Year so far (beginning here if you are interested). With the exception of Arabian Gazelle we did not see much on the mammal front, although xelas spotted (and photographed) a Caracal! We also enjoyed the services of Hatem for a pelagic, really good man. I am somewhat surprised to see how dry the landscape looks, from what I was told I would have expected a bit more green after the monsoon South Oman does enjoy - or did the rains fail this year?

[Treepol]

Great to see a report from Oman.

 

The country looks more varied than I had expected - mountains, desert and those cool, green wadis. Look forward to more when you have time.

[wilddog]

How special. Thank you so much for sharing. 

[johnweir]

Thanks to everyone who has shown an interest in this thread, didn't really expect much interest. In particular @michael-ibk, as you are probably aware I have now spent some time looking at your images on your Big Year thread, thanks for the link.  Great quality images and it was nice to see numerous species that we observed,  and also that they were sighted in several of the locations we covered. On your list of species that 'got away', we only saw 2, Jouanin's Petrel and Asian Koel. An Arabian Scops Owl was also recorded on our last night. As you would expect I was very interested in @xelassighting of a Caracal, would it be possible to get a copy of his image and location data etc., (for my own personal use) either on this report thread or a PM?

@offshorebirderNo Bulwer's Petrel shots, but your question did certainly get me consulting several field guides, which is never a bad thing. I am very much a novice birder.

[johnweir]

One evening we returned early from our night drive (00.00) as were going out early the following morning on a boat ride with the intention of spotting pelagic birds and cetaceans. Unfortunately the cetaceans did not materialise but Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphins were seen the following day from the cliff tops around Taqah. I was very keen also to try for some BIF images as my skills in this area over the years have produced only limited results. I was particularly interested in securing an image of any Shearwater or Petrel species in flight, this was a target for the trip.

The two most common gulls in the area were Sooty Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. As a none specialist birder I am aware of the confusion and debate that surrounds the classification of the Lesser Black-backed Gull, so I am open to correction in any of my species ID's. 

A group of LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, taken on the beach at the estuary of Wadi Darbat and the Arabian Sea. The circa 1st-winter birds in the image could be a mixture of HEUGLIN'S and STEPPE GULLS?

Adult, SOOTY GULL. Straightforward ID.

JOUANIN'S PETREL. 

FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER

Top: LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, probably STEPPE. Lower: PERSIAN SHEARWATER

PERSIAN SHEARWATER, same individual as above.

GREATER CRESTED TERN.

SOOTY GULL. 1st-winter bird. (Juvenile).

 

On this trip we were hoping to see an authentic dhow boat but this was the closest we got, both are fishing boats with metal hulls. Not dissimilar in design to the real thing but clearly not made exclusively of wood. Both boats were manned exclusively by workers from India.

The cliffs near Taqah, from where we spotted INDIAN OCEAN HUMPBACK DOLPHINS from a distance but seen well with binoculars and several more Green Sea Turtles.

 

To be continued.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

16 hours ago, johnweir said:

would it be possible to get a copy of his image and location data etc.,

 

Sure, @xelasposted the sighting and photo here. The location was Ayn Athum, the sighting was right here.

[xelas]

18 hours ago, johnweir said:

As you would expect I was very interested in @xelassighting of a Caracal, would it be possible to get a copy of his image and location data etc., (for my own personal use) either on this report thread or a PM?

 

The location was Ayn Athum (Ain Athum), and the Caracal was spotted on the hillside; below photo was taken when we have tried to find it again. You can find the location on Google Maps, it is at the very end of the tar road where the two pavilions are. Date was 01/March/2024. Only 4 useable photos were taken.

 

 

 

This photo has been posted in my Big Year report, here I am adding another one. Both full size and cropped.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[johnweir]

@xelas  @michael-ibk  Thank you both so much, very interesting, great images considering distances etc. Not sure how I missed the posting in the first place, I need to pay more attention to birding reports.  Appreciated.

[johnweir]

SOME CAT ENCOUNTERS:

The Arabian Peninsula Wildcat  was previously known as Gordon's Wildcat (Felis lybica gordoni) , however under the 2017 taxonomy review (A Revised Taxonomy of the Felidae. SSC Cat Specialist Group. Cat News Special Issue 11), which was generally well accepted, the subspecies was subsumed into Felis l.lybica, the same subspecies found throughout E, W and N Africa. In the review under research priorities it indicates that the status of the Arabian population needs however to be thoroughly investigated at some stage, so I was looking forward to hopefully getting some Wildcat sightings. Throughout our time in Oman we came across numerous domestic cats many of which showed a strong resemblance to a Wildcat, but clearly were mainly feral domestic cats.  Hybridisation with domestic cats, as with many of the smaller cat species worldwide is an acute problem for this species. Many would suggest that there are no pure bred examples in the area we explored. "The greatest threat to the survival of the wildcat is hybridisation with the domestic cat and the presence of domestic cats in the Dhofar Mountains means that the wild cat population may not be genetically pure". (The Arabian Leopards of Oman. A. Spalton, Hadi Al Hikmani. Stacey Publishing. 2014"). A great book incidentally. So we dismissed many cat sightings, the example below which was the only example seen during the day to me was our best shot at a pure example. Morphologically it was good and it behaved very much like a true wildcat, however it is more than likely that its genetics would indicate some domestic cat. It is thought that some pure bred examples may exist in the north of the country and possibly in the UAE.

ARABIAN PENINSULA WILDCAT. Felis l. lybica? Male. 15.15, located high up in the Dhofar Mountains as we headed for Jebel Samhan. Initially it was spotted hunting, then it came out into the open briefly before heading for cover.

The same cat as above. A beautiful looking cat.

The same cat again but on the move. it looks slightly different in the sunlight. Much of the patterning and tail look good, I have checked it against some pure zoo bred images and it looks generally quite good in comparison. I have seen quite a few Wildcats in Africa at several locations so I had an idea what to expect, this cat has a few differences which could be in line with geographic variation. 

 

I include a couple of images of other examples taken from distance at night.

The markings on this cat were well defined but the cat to me and others in the group just didn't look quite right. Possible Wildcats were recorded in a variety of habitats, rocky desert, one close to a main road which was very interested in a large trash can, a 3rd was noted in a wadi resting close to a water source.

This example showed promise but we never got close enough to study it in detail, it was very nervous and vanished into the night as soon as we started to approach. Record shot.

 

Our number one target for the trip however was a Caracal and we had a good sighting but unfortunately we were not able to secure images. I thank @xelasfor enhancing this thread by posting his  Omani Caracal images in my report.

 

CARACAL (ASIATIC) Caracal c. schmitz, we were very lucky to get a brief but meaningful sighting of this species.We had tried for this subspecies in India in 2023, but could not gain access to the appropriate zone in Ranthambore. The Indian population is in serious decline where possibly only circa 50 individuals remain, it is suspected that the species there may be suffering from an unknown disease. (Cat News 79. Spring 2024). This was our first Caracal sighting, this subspecies is generally regarded as the rarest of the 3 recognised  subspecies. So Oman could possibly be the go too location for a sighting.

On our 4th night we were in Wadi Darbat at around 00.30  when suddenly 2 HONEY BADGERS (ARABIAN RATEL ssp. pumilio) crossed the road in front of our vehicle, they entered a pasture  became very nervous and vanished up a small hill into some woodland. Lights out, we sat for 20 minutes, then in the thermal one Honey Badger returned down the hill and started to cross the pasture, as it strutted away it 'flushed' something in the grass. Suddenly a Caracal was seen well, running up an embankment, however it stopped half way up and faced our vehicle, just for a few seconds before continuing on its way. I got an excellent view of the cat, no mistaking what it was, a medium sized cat, sandy in colouration and the typical tufted ears and black facial markings were clearly visible,  it would certainly be going on my growing cat species list.  Unfortunately I was unable to get an image, mainly because I was taken by complete surprise and was far from being in an ideal position. I saw the cat from a distance of about 25 yards, although tucked away in the back of the vehicle I had a direct line of sight out of the driver's open window, the other group members also witnessed the sighting, but I possibly got the best view.

 

Interestingly the two Honey Badgers we saw had little or no white on their backs, virtually all black.

 

Other mammal seen but not mentioned : COMMON GENET (SMALL-SPOTTED GENET) ssp grantii (different to African ssp) , several seen at night in a variety of locations. Best sighting at the beginning of Wadi Darbat. 

 

Next: Final posting.

 

[johnweir]

One mammal species I was fairly confident of seeing at some stage was an Arabian Gazelle, nothing could have been further from the truth. Despite visiting several known gazelle areas around Mirbat no sightings were secured, this was one species we should be able to observe during the day. Our local guide remained confident, two days before we returned home we went out at 07.30 and headed for a vast area of rocky scrub close to Mirbat and after scouring the area eventually an individual was picked up in a spotting scope but at a considerable distance,  Eventually several others were spotted. I had been expecting to get some relatively close up images but it was clear that was not going to happen. Gazelle numbers are very low compared to say 20 years ago mainly as a result of hunting and habitat loss, illegal hunting still remains a problem. They are extremely nervous and usually avoid as best they can any human contact, they also blend in very well with their chosen habit. The two images below are the best I could manage, we saw two more the following day at a different location but from about the same distance. 

If you look very carefully in the red circles you can just about make out one Gazelle in each.

Heavily cropped image gives a better impression of the sighting, further cropping just gives a very blurred image. Shot @ 500mm, record shot of the sighting. ARABIAN GAZELLE Gazella arabica. 

 

So that is about it for this short trip report. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip and although sightings were in short supply we got to see most on the wish list and in particular the big one, the Asiatic Caracal. The country was fascinating and the people very friendly. As previously mentioned a mammal trip would be really for the keen enthusiast wanting to try for some quite rare mammal species/ subspecies. As far as birding goes it should definitely be on everyone's wish list. Several operators offer quite inexpensive group trips.

 

For us 10 new species/ subspecies were recorded, not including the Wildcat ssp. which was first recorded by us in Tanzania. (This may change when the species status is reviewed). The only bat included was the EGYPTIAN ROUSETTE which was accurately identified by size. 2 other bat species were seen but not recorded as only definites are include in our sightings data.

11 MAMMAL SPECIES IN TOTAL OBSERVED ON THE TRIP.

RECORDED ON THIS TRIP BUT NOT BY US: WHITE-TAILED MONGOOSE.

TARGETS NOT SEEN: STRIPED HYENA (ARABIAN), INDIAN CRESTED PORCUPINE. (Both possible).

93 BIRD SPECIES RECORDED. (secondary effort to mammals).

GREEN & OLIVE RIDLEY SEA TURTLES & A HUGE CONGER EEL RECORDED. (All in Mirbat harbour).

 

IN CONCLUSION A FEW MISCELLANEOUS IMAGES:

One afternoon we had a  walk in a public park in Mirbat for a short time, we saw some lovely birds. BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATERS.

EUROPEAN ROLLER. On one of the night drives we had a  very good sighting of a European Nightjar.

GLOSSY IBIS. Also recorded in the park Little Egret, Asian Koel, Eurasian Hoopoe,Arabian Sunbird and Common Cuckoo.

 

ABDIM'S STORK, taken in Mirbat harbour.

 

DHOFAR FAN-FOOTED GECKO. Endemic.

 

CHESTNUT-BELLIED SANDGROUSE.

 

Unidentified probable CICADA species. Very big, circa 7 cm in length, found in a rocky desert location.

 

CINNAMON-BREASTED BUNTING.

 

NAMAQUA DOVE.

 

 

STEPPE EAGLE.

 

GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE, with huge fish catch. Taken from distance, record shot.

 

COMMON SNIPE. White under wings when flying, we initially thought it might be a Pin-tailed.

 

GREATER FLAMINGO.

 

ARABIAN WHEATEAR. ssp. boscaweni

 

One of our main targets for the trip although we knew we knew we were possibly in the wrong place, was a Crab Plover. Several of the birding groups we met pointed us to this location where a single Crab Plover had been hanging around the beach for several days. It was well gone when we got there, we would really like to see one in the future!

 

Thank you to everyone who has shown an interest in this trip report.

[michael-ibk]

Thanks again John, very interesting to see what you can find in Oman when you take a real effort with mammals!

 

We were a bit luckier with Gazelle, these were right next to the road close to Mudday:

 

 

I think Crab Plover is far easier in the North, the area around Sur and Ras al Hadd especially.

Edited December 14, 2024 by michael-ibk

[TonyQ]

Thank you John for a very interesting report. I admire your enthusiasm and knowledge, and you communicate these really well.

[sek07]

I really enoyed your post.  We traveled to Oman the spring of 2018 and saw tracks and spoor of hyena, caracal, wild cat and we saw Arabian gazelle and may have had a sighting of a wolf but we were unable to confirm whether or not it was a feral dog (i'm pretty convinced it was a wolf based on photos).  We also found porcupine quills.  We had no idea any of those were there before we left for the trip.    i Thought i had posted a trip report but as we were not actively looking for wildlife and didnt spend any time at night searching as you did I apparently didnt.    

This was one of the best trips we have ever taken and i highly recommend Oman and Oman Expeditions who organized it for us- we camped in the sands of the empty quarter, camped on the beach in the Dhofar, and in an area akin to the grand canyon.  the people were the most hospitable and welcoming i've ever encountered, the stars in the sky of the empty quarter endless, the water blue and clear, and we felt completely safe the entire time.

 

 

[sek07]

[xelas]

Nice photos, @sek07. Oman is indeed a fine travel destination, we might get back for more of its culture and general scenery.

[Atravelynn]

Fascinating destination.  Perhaps we will be treated to another Oman report as your search for the Crab Plover continues.