IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Aston, W.P. | |
| Arabia's hidden valley - A unique habitat in Dhofar captures Arabia's past | |
| 2013 Wildlife Middle East (6): 2-4 | |
A secluded valley on the southern coast of Dhofar in Oman is a unique microcosm of a distant era in Arabia's past. It is the last vestige in Oman of the subtropical deciduous forests that flourished in parts of Arabia anciently. Fed by monsoonal run-off from the Qamar mountains that have isolated it, Khor Kharfot protects an extensive range of fauna and flora. Some extant species, such as the Arabia leopard (_Panthera pardus nimr_) are critically endangered. The numerous caves and gullies are home to a handful of the Arabian leopard and it is estimated that about 50 leopards are left in all of Dhofar. However, other species of Khor Kharfot are known of only anecdotally as no thorough survey in any field has yet been made. The opportunity to do so, and to perhaps implement protective strategies, is fast vanishing as this once pristine site is now under severe environmental stress. |
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