Picture256pp • 300x230mm • Hardback
ISBN: 978-1-908531-85-8
Price: £35.00
Available: September 2022

DHOFAR: Sultanate of Oman
From Monsoon Mountains to Sand Seas

Andrew Spalton & Hadi Al Hikmani
The Sultanate of Oman's governorate of Dhofar stretches from Salalah in the south, across the verdant pastures and woodlands of the monsoon mountains to the vast dunes of the Empty Quarter in the north. As well as being a place for wildlife it is a land of fascinating landscapes and is also home to people who, at least since the late Stone Age, have shaped the land that shaped them.
During the magical khareef season, from late June to early September, the Southwest Monsoon sweeps in from the Arabian Sea and transforms the brown mountain landscape to a luscious green. While most of Arabia endures desiccating summer temperatures approaching 50° Celsius the mountains of Dhofar are blessed with light rainfall, swirling monsoon clouds and temperatures that rarely reach 30 degrees. This is truly Arabia Felix or Happy Arabia, a term used by the Romans to describe southern Arabia.
As a result of this extraordinary phenomenon, Dhofar is blessed with a variety of breathtaking landscapes unlike anything seen anywhere else in the region. To the south are the richly verdant mountains of Jabal Al Qara and Jabal Al Qamar, to the north the reddish-orange sand dunes of the great sand seas of the world famous Ar Rub Al Khali or Empty Quarter, and between lies the vast stony desert of the Najd. Along the shorelines, spectacular seascapes include both wild monsoon-swept rocky shores and pristine sandy beaches, while offshore lie the harshly beautiful and remote Juzur Al Hallaniyyat (Islands). These unique places are home to a very special biodiversity that includes globally iconic animal and plant species such the Arabian leopard, Arabian Sea humpback whale and the frankincense tree.
Andrew Spalton and Hadi Al Hikmani have brought together spectacular and rare images with an exhaustively researched text to present the first comprehensive account of the region - essential for anyone with an interest in the wildlife, landscapes, climate, ancient history and people of southern Arabia.
Available October 2021
About the Authors
Dr Andrew Spalton is a wildlife biologist who went to the Sultanate of Oman in 1987 to join a team reintroducing the Arabian oryx to the Jiddat Al Harasis in Al Wusta Governorate. His work in Dhofar Governorate began when he established the Arabian Leopard Conservation Programme in 1997. He has also worked on bats, rodents and eagles of Dhofar as well as rangeland management and climate change. He currently serves as Adviser for Environmental Affairs at Oman’s Diwan of Royal Court.

Dr  Hadi  Musallam  Al  Hikmani  grew  up  in Jabal  Samhan  in  Dhofar  Governorate  and joined  the  Arabian  Leopard  Conservation Programme  in  2002.   He  holds  a  B.Sc.  in Wildlife Conservation and in 2019 gained his Ph.D. in Biodiversity Management from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (Kent, UK).   He currently serves as Wildlife Specialist at Oman’s Office for Conservation of  the  Environment  in  the  Diwan  of  Royal Court.