Wildlife and birdwatching in the Middle East

Not reknowned for it's wildlife watching possibilities, there are still opportunities for the keen wildlife watcher.

Whales and dolphins of Oman.
Humpback whale breaching off Oman.

Oman is becoming known as a hotspot for cetaceans in the Middle East, whith dolphins abundant off the coast and increasing numbers of Humpback and even Blue whales sighted off the coast.

Click here to read about the cetaceans of Oman.

Recent Middle East news

More Middle East news

Leopards of Iran – Under threat

The birds of Masirah Island – Oman’s top birding spot

Four dolphins kept in swimming pool in Egypt

Four dolphins have been found in appalling conditions in a swimming pool in Hurghada, Egypt.

Arabian oryx mass die off caused by a fence in Saudi Arabia

Die-offs of large numbers of globally threatened Arabian oryx and Arabian sand gazelles were recorded from 1991 to 2008 in the fenced Mahazat as-Sayd protected area in Saudi Arabia. Researchers found that most deaths occurred during the summer, when rainfall was negligible. The animals starved to death because of the reduced availability, accessibility and quality of food plants in the area.

Alaotra grebe declared extinct and 12.5% of bird species declared endangered

First wild born cheetah for 40 years in Arabia

The last known Arabian cheetah was shot in Saudi Arabia in 1950, though they may have hung on in Oman until around 1970. Now 4 cubs have been born in the wild in a nature reserve on an island off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

New spider species discovered – Largest in the Middle East

Rare Wild cat spotted in UAE

Camera traps set up in the mountainous area of Wadi Wurayah have captured an image of a rare breed of Wild cat (Felis silvestris lybica).

Desperate year for Northern bald ibis as birds are shot and electrocuted

One of the last remaining wild birds in the Middle East has been shot by a hunter in Saudi Arabia.

250 endangered Mountain gazelles found in Turkey – First record in Turkey

3 Northern bald ibis poisoned in Jordan

Three of the world's rarest birds have been found poisoned in a remote Jordanian desert hundreds of miles from their breeding grounds in Turkey.

Yemen’s Last Leopards Get Some Help

Extinctions in Yemen continue with several important species teetering on the brink. These include the Nubian Ibex, an impressive animal which may literally be on its last legs in Yemen, and of course, the Arabian Leopard, the last of Arabia's great carnivores.

Two Sightings of Northern Bald Ibis in Middle East Bring a Spark of Hope

Sightings of this incredibly rare bird in Djibouti and Ethiopia have raised hope that it might avoid extinction.

The Middle East's rarest bird fitted with satellite tags.

Three Northern bald ibis, thought extinct in the Middle East until 2002, have been satellite tagged in an attempt to discover where they spend the winter.

Breeding failure prompts captive breeding proposal for Syria’s Northern Bald ibis

One of the world's rarest wild birds, the Northern bald ibis, should be supplemented with captive bred stock.