BY KABEER YOUSUF
It’s one of the most ambitious endeavours taken by a local conservation advocate and if done right, they will be able to create one of the most comprehensive documentary features not only on Oman’s wildlife but also its amazing topological treasures as well as what makes the Sultanate a nation of unique flora and fauna.
Maisa al Hooti is a passionate underwater photographer and conservation advocate who had been running ‘Oman in Focus’ for many years now lending a unique voice to Oman’s diverse wildlife and featuring the country’s assets with the vision of capturing the global audience.
She believes that the universe is equally shared by all creatures including humans and that every bird, reptile and insect has the same right to the soil, water and air just as humans do.
Living by the code of environmental protectionism and sustainability, she wanted to protect and preserve these creatures identity and safety before we run out of time.
She has always been fascinated by many things around her, be it pictures, painting, colours, nature or whatever, it is very hard for her not to see the beauty in everything God gifted human beings with and it is her goal to showcase them to the world.
Her passion witnessed a great milestone when she invited a highly professional video crew to work along with the local expertise to result in a documentary featuring the rare species of animals, mammals and birds that Oman is home for.
“We will talk about each animal, how they live, what they eat, and a complete profile of them and let the world listen’’, a passionate-voiced Maisa said.
“For example, we have five kinds of turtles. We have Arabian Humpbacks, Arabian leopards, Ibex and the like which are truly Omani and other birds which are migratory to Oman. It is to safeguard all creatures and their natural habitats and anything that only Oman exclusively has that often, we tend to overlook’’, she said.
With the documentary film on Oman from Musandam to Dhofar, Maisa and her team believe it’s good to shed more light on the fact that we need to protect our nature and other creatures around us. It’s also an attempt to tell the world that Oman is home to many of these unique animals and birds. Many people travel to other countries to see them.
“We have an international crew team along with the local craftsmen and experts who work hand in hand with them. They study about the animals, spend time with them, and learn how to capture them. And they know which animals can be filmed and where. And these experts help us ease our work’’, her team member told the Observer.
Her team is aiming to make a two-part documentary that will showcase the wildlife and unique biodiversity of Oman. A second documentary will feature the various conservation efforts that are under way in Oman
The entire country has interesting habitats in places like Musandam, Sur, Daymaniyat Island, Raz al Jinz, Ras al Hadd, Hasik, Masirah Island, Jabal Samhan, Bar al Hickman, Al Wusta, Nizwa, Jabal Akhdhar and so on and they will form part of the film.
The making of the film which started in March this year continued for two and half months before it took a short summer break. The team assembled again for the second schedule by end of August and the shoot is progressing across the country with a packed update in December this year.
The crew will travel by road to Salalah for the third time for the shoot to feel and let the world feel the spring in Dhofar these days. During the previous journeys, the crew had stopovers at Hasik, Duqm and the like, capturing the beauty in full.
Many international broadcasters are currently in the pipeline ready to show the film to the world and the support from various corners that she and her team received was really overwhelming that prompted them to take major steps forward.
The team has enjoyed support and cooperation from the Environmental Authority and Office of Conservation of the Environment, Diwan Office. Both of these agencies have been instrumental in sharing their knowledge and expertise with the ‘Oman in Focus’ team.
“We got very good support from the government and private companies all of whom believe that this project will help the country to get FDI, to receive tourists, and to mark Oman’s name in the global tourism map. All our sponsors are our strength in making such a project happen and we owe it to them’’, Maisa adds.
The team met face to face with snakes, foxes, wolves and many other animals in different parts of the country. They travelled many nautical miles across the sea in boats, experienced amazing dolphins near Halaniyat and the experiences are aplenty.
“Oman has amazing marine life which we experienced in Musandam’’, her team member averred.
One of the cameramen of the team who has been filming and travelling all over the world said that he is in awe that Musandam is one of the best marine reserves all over the world and is unpolluted.
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