North Al Batinah will always be known as Oman’s food basket because of its rich and fertile agricultural land that allows for the production of many of Oman’s produce. It might also be the reason by it is also the best spot to become a wildlife photographer.
Dozens of photographers had discovered that if one wants some of Oman’s fascinating wildlife, North Al Batinah offers diverse species of living creatures and many of them wild, spread between its plains and valleys.
One of those avid wildlife photographers is Rashid al Muqbali whose passion for the wildlife has brought him not only to the historic wilayat of Sohar but across the governorates diverse topography.
Always armed with his trusted gears, Rashid managed to document many of Oman’s aloof animals and has shared his discovery, whether videos or photos, on his social media account — one of his ways to further his reach and hopefully, get his photos of wild animals and birds get published on one of the most popular wild animals’ sites in the planet, “National Geographic”.
Al Muqbali shared that he was very young when he started to dabble in photography but that it was only within the last two years that he specialised in wildlife photography. This decision was prompted by his acquisition of special tools and equipment that aid him to get the best shot of animals in the wild.
“Serving the nation can be done in many ways. Photographing the wildlife is one of these methods,” Rashid shared.
In the last couple of years, Rashid has been out and about crossing various terrains of Al Batinah to get his shots.
“I have plans to travel to all regions and governorates of the Sultanate for photography but for now, I think the Al Batinah region deserves the focus. It has many wildlife treasures and it is only through my commitment to documenting these wild animals that I’ve grown to understand how massive they are just in Al Batinah alone,” he said.
As a photographer monitoring wildlife, Al Muqbali noted that there are a number of rare animals in North Al Batinah in particular.
“Many birds, reptiles and animals were photographed in several ways, including the wild “Gordon” cat and Blanford’s fox, and I still have plans to search for rare animals that are believed to have disappeared from here,” he said.
He added, “There are also many migratory bird and rodents of all kinds. The wildlife in the Sultanate is rich and varied. “
Rashid employs the help of different social media channels to learn about photography and the animals that he meets in the wild.
Al Muqbali considers publishing photos with “National Geographic” as a pioneering experience that all photographers strive for.
He said: “I think that all photographers hope that their photos would one day appear in National Geographic sites and publications. I consider it an important step in my professional path of photographing wildlife”.
Rashid shared that he receives a lot of encouragement from people interested in wildlife.
“This gives me motivation to achieve better. There is positive interaction from fans outside the Sultanate as well,” he noted.
For his efforts of documenting the wildlife of Oman particularly North al Batina, he was appreciated by several official bodies in the country.
“So far, two parties have contacted me exclusively, namely the Omani Wildlife Center of the Royal Court Affairs to take care of the Gordon wild cat that I photographed in the mountains of Sohar, and also Al Wisal channel to prepare a report on the Indian palm squirrel,” he said.
He added, “This report, about Indian palm squirrel, in particular, received a huge turnout and interest from people.”
“I have a set of future goals and aspirations in the field of wildlife, including holding an exhibition introducing wildlife in the Sultanate, in addition to publishing a book about wildlife,” he said.
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