Camera traps capture rare wildlife in Oman

Ibri: Wildlife is one of the important components of the ecosystem, and government efforts, represented by the Environment Agency, are moving forward in protecting wildlife in all its components through environmental control, and preserving natural resources and biodiversity from activities that may harm the formation of the ecosystem, along with Providing the appropriate environment for the growth and reproduction of the various components of biodiversity in which the Omani environment abounds, and with the entry of modern methods and methods of control into the system of conservation and protection of the environment, advanced cameras were used as means to support the monitoring and follow-up of wildlife.

In Al Dhahirah Governorate, which includes mountains and plains with an environment rich in various wildlife including animals, birds, reptiles and rodents due to the terrain diversity and the large number of wadis streams and water gatherings, which are a main source for the gathering of various wildlife habitats, the cameras called “traps” contribute to monitoring various types of wildlife. Wildlife, which would assist the competent authorities in carrying out their roles entrusted to them in following up and protecting these habitats in order to create an integrated ecosystem.

Mohammed bin Rashid bin Khalfan Al Balushi, Environmental Inspector in the Environmental Conservation Department of the Environment Agency in Al Dhahirah Governorate, pointed out that the trap cameras are hidden monitoring devices that the Environment Department places in various areas where wildlife is concentrated in order to document their types and numbers, in addition to following up on developments that have occurred. It occurs on these sites in terms of the movement and movement of various fungal organisms, mortality and reproduction, and whether there are exotic animals in the area, whether they are predators or pets, in addition to studying their behavior and lifestyle, explaining that these cameras are self-operating, as they contain smart sensors Movements around it are monitored with the possibility of filming in the dark during the evening, which gave the opportunity to monitor nocturnal animals that are difficult to monitor in the normal way, especially in rugged and mountainous areas, facilitating the work of the environmental management team in collecting wildlife data in the various states of the governorate.

Al Balushi added that the cameras in various regions of Al Dhahirah Governorate have monitored several types of wild animals, such as the Arabian deer, ibex, lynx, sand fox and mountain fox, in addition to some rare and migratory birds.

Maryam Bint Butti Al-Yaqoubia, Environmental Inspector at Al Dhahirah Department, indicated that the photographing process is followed by sorting, analysis, locating and data recording to be submitted to the Environment Agency’s database in order to serve the projects and plans for protecting wildlife that are undertaken by the authority in order to achieve the desired national goals to conserve wildlife. Its habitats are located in various governorates of the Sultanate of Oman, adding that trap cameras contribute significantly to the field of intensive and more accurate monitoring and protection of wildlife, in addition to facilitating the documentation of their sites.

Yasser bin Hamoud Al Hinai, Head of the Environmental Monitoring Department at the Environment Department in Al Dhahirah Governorate, said that the trap cameras have been able to monitor the Afghan fox in Al Dhahirah Governorate, which is considered an endangered animal, as this type of fox has not been recorded and monitored with the naked eye previously, stressing the importance of The existence of such a technique in the field of monitoring and documenting living things, especially since the Afghan fox is considered one of the rare animals that was not believed to exist in Al Dhahirah Governorate. However, the trap cameras documented its presence in the governorate to be registered to be among the list of wildlife that abounds in the unique and diverse ecosystem. in the Sultanate of Oman.