Arabian leopard put on IUCN’s Red List

MUSCAT: “International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) has put rare panther as critically endangered on its Red List of animals that are close to extinction” the Environment Society of Oman (ESO) said.

“The panther (leopard) lives in southern Oman. Its population in Dhofar is estimated to be just around 48 to 55, which is considered to be the largest population as there are only 200 wild panthers across the Arabian Peninsula.”

Another animal unique to Oman that is now facing extinction is the Loggerhead turtle. Over the last decade, ESO has been working hard to identify the causes of this animal population’s decline and ways to protect them.

Hadi Al Hikmani is a wildlife specialist with the Office for Conservation of the Environment, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Diwan of the Royal Court of Oman, He said, “One of the main reasons for the fall in the number of big cats is human encroachment into their habitat.”

There have been efforts to counter the decrease in the number of Arabian Leopards.

In Oman, the leopard is protected from hunting and capture by Ministerial Decision 101/02 and Royal Decrees 111/96, 75/98, 114/2001 and 6/2003.

Under Royal Decree 6/2003, the penalty for the hunting or capturing a leopard is imprisonment for not less than six months, and not exceeding five years, and a fine of not less than OMR1,000 and not exceeding OMR5,000.