NATURE

OMAN

Oman takes great pride in its magnificent ecology and diverse flora and fauna, actively protecting it through the establishment of nature reserves such as the Daymaniyat Islands near Muscat, the turtle reserve at Ras Al Jinz, the Land of Frankincense in Dhofar or the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Al Wusta.

Special attention is given to threatened or endangered species, as the oceans surrounding Oman are home to a range of fish species as well as dolphins and migrating whales; together with intricate corals and unique species of seaweeds that support the marine ecosystem.

Inland, protected areas cover vast areas serving as important breeding grounds for endangered species such as the Arabian Oryx, Nubian Ibex or rare Arabian Leopard. The Sultanate is also a bird watcher’s paradise, witnessing the migration of over 130 species of birds each year.

Nature reserves and habitats in the Sultanate cover an area of almost 30,000 square kilometers and also encompass reserves dedicated to plant life; the most famous being Oman’s frankincense trees.

PHILIPPINES

There are approximately 191 mammal species found in the Philippines. Of these 191, eight are critically endangered and thirty are vulnerable. Large mammals are relatively few, the domesticated water buffalo is one of the larger mammals and is quite common. Smaller species like monkeys, rodents, bats, shrews, deer, mongoose and porcupines are found throughout the country. The Philippine Tarsier is endemic to the country and is one of the smallest monkey species in the world. There are also three endemic deer species: the Philippine deer, the Calamian deer and the Philippine spotted deer.

The waters around Bohol are a haven to more than eleven species of dolphins and whales. Bottle-nose, pan-tropical spotted, and long-snouted dolphins are constant fixtures, so too are melon-headed, short-finned pilot and sperm whales. From December to May, the largest annual congregation of whale sharks happens in Donsol. Large numbers of whale sharks migrate to Donsol to take advantage of the dense food and krill concentration that exists there.

Bird and reptile species greatly outnumber mammal species in the Philippines. Of the 612 birds found in the country, 194 are endemic. There are a total of sixty-seven globally threatened birds in the Philippines including the Rufous Hornbill and the critically endangered national bird, the Philippine Eagle. There are 332 reptile and amphibian species with 215 found only in the Philippines. There are still several species that have remained undiscovered. The freshwater crocodile is considered the most threatened crocodile in the world and is endemic to the country. In 1982 it was reported that there were between 500-1000 in the wild, by 1995, this number had dropped significantly to only 100. The Crocodile Rehabilitation, Observance and Conservation (CROC) Project is carrying out many programs to improve the numbers of this species.

Due to its isolation, the Philippines has one of the highest levels of biodiversity found in the world and is home to 5% of the world’s flora. The best places to experience tropical rainforests in the Philippines are on the islands of Bohol, Mindanao and Palawan. It is on these islands that a big portion of the original jungle of the Philippines is preserved. Forests are made up of banyan and palm trees as well as many indigenous trees with extremely hard wood. Mangrove trees and nipa palms grow in coastal swamps. At least one-third of the 9,250 vascular plants in the Philippines are endemic, and two-thirds of the 150 palm species are found no where else in the world.