Friday 19 / April / 2024
Muscat: A new book promoting Oman’s unique shorebird population was launched by Shell Development Oman to support biodiversity in the Sultanate.
Titled “Barr Al Hikman: Shorebird Paradise in Oman”, the book launch was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs.
Chris Breeze, Shell’s Oman Country Chairman, said, “Having visited Barr Al Hikman, I am delighted that Shell has been able to collaborate on this book and that we can celebrate Oman’s 48th National Day with this publication. The Sultanate enjoys a wonderfully diverse landscape and is home to many different water bird species.”
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“Further, this book is a vital piece of research and will ultimately contribute to sustainable development and promote Oman as a tourist destination. Our commitment to the country’s future revolves not only around the energy sector but also sustainable development,” he added.
The Wetlands Nature Reserve, which is featured in the book, was declared a Nature Reserve by the Royal Decree No. 51/2014.
A survey conducted by Wetlands International in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs revealed that over 300,000 birds from approximately 80 different species have made the intertidal mudflats and coral reefs and associated wetlands on the coast of Oman their home for resting and feeding during their annual migration.
Ward Hagemeijer, Programme Head, Business and Ecosystems, at Wetlands International, said, “We have recently been collecting data from the Wetlands Reserve to further understand the migration patterns of the extraordinary birds visiting the area. This book reflects this survey - showcasing some of the 300,000 birds making the wetlands their home for both resting and feeding during their annual migration.”
The survey was conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs and supported, organised and conducted by Wetlands International in collaboration with expert ornithologists from Omani and Dutch universities, among others. It was undertaken during the spring migration of 2018 when many birds spend the northern winter along the eastern coastline of Africa down to South Africa.
