Visitors to public places such as parks, beaches and wadis should not spoil the habitats around and should consider the species that dwell in these places, according to the Environment Authority.
The Sultanate of Oman is home t rare and unique species of birds, fishes and animals and has many locations of lagoons and wetlands. In Muscat alone, there are Qurum Natural Park and Al Khairan besides different wadis and other protected areas across the country. These are in addition to the man-made wetlands in Al Ansab.
“Public should treat our protected areas carefully and not harm the growth of our rare and unique birds and fishes,” said Aziza bint Saud al Adhubiyah (pictured), Head of Wetlands Management Section at the Environment Authority (EA).
“One should refrain from making noise around these areas as they are important habitats for birds and fishes and also, they should obey the restrictions and guidelines kept by the EA near the areas.”
Since 2000, the Sultanate of Oman has been carrying out the National Project of Mangrove Transplantation in the Sultanate of Oman with the support of Jaica (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and to date, as many as thirty locations have been transplanted and thousands of mangrove groups have been benefitted.
“We have done a study with JAICA which revealed that many locations of mangrove have been logged and are affected by cyclones and the like. There is a need of protecting them by transplanting them.”
Mangroves are considered one of the rarest plants and the Sultanate of Oman needs to increase the coverage of the same which are of great benefits to the environment and for the other creatures.
Speaking to the Observer on the sidelines of a panel discussion on “Conservation of Wildlife in the Sultanate of Oman as experienced by Oman In Focus” which explored ways of protecting various endangered species of creatures and Flora and fauna which are at the verge of extinction, she said that the EA pays attention to transplant with mangroves and safeguard these habitats.
“Protecting these natural habitats has a lot of benefits. They are not only recreational sites for the whole family where people can enjoy the greenery and fresh air but also are of commercial importance. However, all lagoons in the country are protected and catching juvenile fishes in these areas is prohibited. These fishes grow up inside the lagoons and as they get bigger, they go back to the sea,” said Al Adhubiyah.
Besides, these wetlands have the capacity to store carbon dioxide five times more than the rainforests, which makes it even more important so that they can reduce the impacts of climate change and global warming. EA provides logistical, technical and financial support to the project initiated by Oman In Focus and Maisa al Hooti. “We also help identify the protected sites and local species for the filming,” said Al Adhubiyah.
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