Animals of Oman

Oman’s landscapes — from rocky Hajar peaks and windswept deserts to coral-fringed coasts and monsoon-fed wadis — support a surprising mix of wildlife. Whether you’re exploring a Dhofar plain, snorkeling off the coast, or driving a mountain track, the animal life you spot reflects those varied habitats and seasonal shifts.

There are 37 Animals of Oman, ranging from the Arabian cobra to the Yellow-bellied sea snake. For each entry, you’ll find below the Scientific name,Category,Where found, so you can quickly see what the species is, how it’s classified, and where it’s typically observed — you’ll find below.

Where in Oman are these animals most likely to be seen?

Look for different groups in their preferred zones: coastal and marine species around Musandam, the Arabian sea coast and coral reefs; endemic and mountain species in the Hajar range; migratory and desert-adapted animals across the interior and Dhofar during khareef. Early morning or late afternoon increases sightings; local guides and protected areas improve chances and reduce disturbance.

How should visitors handle encounters with venomous species like cobras or sea snakes?

Keep distance, avoid touching or provoking any snake, and wear sturdy shoes in rough terrain. If you plan coastal activities, use a guide who knows local risks; in case of a bite, seek immediate medical attention at the nearest hospital (do not rely on home remedies).

Name	Scientific name	Category	Where found
Arabian tahr	Arabitragus jayakari	Mammal	Hajar Mountains, Jebel Akhdar
Arabian oryx	Oryx leucoryx	Mammal	Central deserts, Al Wusta reserve, Wahiba Sands
Arabian leopard	Panthera pardus nimr	Mammal	Dhofar mountains, remote wadis (very rare)
Caracal	Caracal caracal	Mammal	Mountains, wadis, scrublands nationwide
Striped hyena	Hyaena hyaena	Mammal	Interior deserts, Dhofar foothills, wadis
Arabian wolf	Canis lupus arabs	Mammal	Desert plains, mountains, remote wadis
Rüppell’s fox	Vulpes rueppellii	Mammal	Deserts, sand dunes, gravel plains
Blanford’s fox	Vulpes cana	Mammal	Rocky mountains, Hajar, Dhofar cliffs
Dorcas gazelle	Gazella dorcas	Mammal	Wahiba Sands, dunes, open deserts
Sand gazelle	Gazella marica	Mammal	Coastal plains, desert fringes, southern dunes
Indian hedgehog	Paraechinus aethiopicus	Mammal	Omani plains, wadis, gardens at night
Egyptian fruit bat	Rousettus aegyptiacus	Mammal	Dhofar fruiting trees, caves, coastal palms
Lesser mouse-tailed bat	Rhinopoma hardwickii	Mammal	Caves, old buildings, wadis nationwide
Dugong	Dugong dugon	Marine	Al Wusta coast, Masirah Island, Dhofar bays
Spinner dolphin	Stenella longirostris	Marine	Offshore waters, Masirah, Musandam trips
Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin	Tursiops aduncus	Marine	Coastal waters, bays, Muscat, Masirah
Sperm whale	Physeter macrocephalus	Marine	Deep offshore waters, Arabian Sea
Whale shark	Rhincodon typus	Fish	Dhofar coast, Masirah, southern shelf (seasonal)
Napoleon wrasse	Cheilinus undulatus	Fish	Coral reefs, Daymaniyat Islands, southern reefs
Green turtle	Chelonia mydas	Reptile	Ras Al Jinz, Masirah, coastal nesting beaches
Hawksbill turtle	Eretmochelys imbricata	Reptile	Coral reefs, nesting bays in Dhofar and Masirah
Loggerhead turtle	Caretta caretta	Reptile	Masirah Island nesting beaches, coastal waters
Sooty falcon	Falco concolor	Bird	Masirah Island, coastal cliffs, islands
Osprey	Pandion haliaetus	Bird	Coastal lagoons, estuaries, rocky shores
Egyptian vulture	Neophron percnopterus	Bird	Mountains, coastal cliffs, desert wadis
Houbara bustard	Chlamydotis undulata	Bird	Open desert plains, gravel plains, sand flats
Chukar partridge	Alectoris chukar	Bird	Hajar slopes, terraced mountains, rocky hills
Spiny-tailed lizard (Dhub)	Uromastyx aegyptia	Reptile	Desert plains, rocky outcrops, wadis
Desert monitor	Varanus griseus	Reptile	Sand plains, rocky deserts, wadis
Arabian cobra	Naja arabica	Reptile	Dhofar plains, coastal scrub, wadis
Saw-scaled viper	Echis carinatus	Reptile	Sandy plains, rocky deserts, dry wadis
Yellow-bellied sea snake	Pelamis platura	Reptile	Open ocean, offshore currents, driftline waters
Desert locust	Schistocerca gregaria	Insect	Wahiba Sands, coastal plains, breeding areas
White-cheeked tern	Sterna repressa	Bird	Rocky coasts, islands, lagoons, Masirah
Hooded wheatear	Oenanthe monacha	Bird	Rocky deserts, mountain slopes, gravel plains
Sooty gull	Ichthyaetus hemprichii	Bird	Coastal shores, tidal flats, islands, estuaries
Napoleon wrasse	Cheilinus undulatus	Fish	Coral reefs, southern coast, Daymaniyat Islands

Images and Descriptions

Arabian tahr

Stocky mountain goat, chestnut-brown coat with shaggy mane and curved horns. Timid climber, feeds on grasses and shrubs. Endangered and localized; best seen on early morning hikes in Jebel Akhdar and steep Hajar slopes.

Arabian oryx

Striking white antelope with long straight horns and dark face markings. Diurnal grazer adapted to arid climates. Reintroduced after extinction in wild; Vulnerable. Look for small herds on desert plains and protected reserves at dawn or dusk.

Arabian leopard

A compact, patterned big cat with rosettes; extremely elusive. Critically Endangered with tiny, fragmented populations. Sightings are exceptional; best chance is remote southern mountains and reports from conservationists rather than casual trips.

Caracal

Medium-sized cat with tufted ears and reddish coat; powerful hunter that leaps for birds. Secretive but sometimes seen at dusk. Conservation status Least Concern, though locally rare; check rugged wadis and cliffs at dawn/dusk.

Striped hyena

Large, coarse-coated scavenger with vertical stripes and dog-like build. Nocturnal, crepuscular; feeds on carrion and small prey. Near Threatened and shy; best seen on night drives or by roadside sightings in remote interior regions.

Arabian wolf

Smaller subspecies of grey wolf with pale coat; social but secretive. Rare and persecuted; locally threatened. Look for tracks and occasional sightings in remote desert and mountainous areas, often at dawn or dusk.

Rüppell’s fox

Small, pale desert fox with large ears and delicate features. Nocturnal insectivore and small-prey hunter. Generally Least Concern; can be spotted at night near wadis and sheltered desert edges.

Blanford’s fox

Small, agile fox with bushy tail and large ears, adapted to cliffs and caves. Nocturnal and secretive; feeds on insects and fruit. Rare but locally regular in rocky Hajar canyons at night.

Dorcas gazelle

Slender, sandy-colored gazelle with graceful horns. Active at cooler hours, browsers and grazers. Locally threatened by hunting and habitat loss; best seen in dune landscapes and protected desert areas early morning or late afternoon.

Sand gazelle

Medium-sized gazelle with pale coat and curved horns. Adapted to sandy habitats and arid scrub. Vulnerable in parts of range; visible in protected reserves and quieter desert areas away from roads.

Indian hedgehog

Small spiny mammal, rounded body with short legs and snout. Nocturnal insectivore that curls into a ball when threatened. Least Concern; often encountered on night walks near villages and desert camps.

Egyptian fruit bat

Medium fruit bat with fox-like face and large eyes; feeds on figs and fruit. Roosts in caves and palms; important seed disperser. Least Concern; common around Dhofar’s monsoon-fed vegetation at dusk.

Lesser mouse-tailed bat

Slender bat with a long thin tail and narrow wings; insect-eating and crepuscular. Roosts in colonies in caves and old structures. Generally Least Concern; look for evening emergence at cave mouths.

Dugong

Large marine herbivore with paddle-like flippers and fluke tail; grazes seagrass beds. Vulnerable and often solitary; slow-moving, peaceful. Best spotted from boats around shallow seagrass lagoons near Masirah and the Al Wusta coast.

Spinner dolphin

Slender dolphin with long beak known for aerial spinning behavior in groups. Common and social; often approaches boats. Least Concern; watch for bow-riding pods near offshore islands and reefs.

Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin

Robust, gray dolphin with short beak; highly social and curious around boats. Frequently seen inshore. Least Concern; regular on coastal boat trips and sheltered bays.

Sperm whale

Massive deep-diving whale with square head and wrinkled skin; feeds on squid. Vulnerable with irregular sightings; encounter on deep-sea whale-watching trips in offshore waters.

Whale shark

World’s largest fish, spotted patterning and broad mouth for plankton feeding. Aggregates seasonally with plankton blooms. Endangered but reliable in season; best seen from boats off Dhofar and Masirah between autumn and spring.

Napoleon wrasse

Large, thick-lipped reef fish up to 2 metres with bulbous forehead in adults. Quiet reef grazer; vulnerable to overfishing. Spot them while snorkeling or diving healthy coral reefs like Daymaniyat Islands.

Green turtle

Large sea turtle with smooth greenish shell; herbivorous juveniles feed on seagrass. Endangered and protected; nesting nights at Ras Al Jinz and Masirah are prime viewing opportunities.

Hawksbill turtle

Smaller, pointed beak and ornate shell; coral reef specialist feeding on sponges. Critically Endangered; seen in reef dives and occasional nesting on southern beaches.

Loggerhead turtle

Large-headed sea turtle that nests on sandy beaches like Masirah. Omnivorous foragers of crustaceans and jellyfish. Vulnerable; best seen during nesting season and on marine excursions.

Sooty falcon

Slender falcon with slate-gray plumage, fast aerial hunter feeding on migrating birds. Breeds on offshore islands and cliffs. Vulnerable; Masirah is renowned for summer breeding colonies and spring migration watches.

Osprey

Large raptor with dark eye stripe, specializes in fishing, hovering and plunging for fish. Globally Least Concern; commonly seen along coasts and estuaries perched on posts and trees near water.

Egyptian vulture

Small, pale vulture with yellow face and black flight feathers; scavenger and tool-user. Critically Endangered in parts of range; watch cliff colonies and roosts in mountain canyons.

Houbara bustard

Large, cryptically colored ground bird with heavy build; crepuscular and shy. Vulnerable from hunting and habitat loss; best seen in designated conservation areas and quiet desert expanses.

Chukar partridge

Stocky gamebird with barred flanks and bold face pattern; ground-dwelling and often heard calling. Least Concern; regularly seen on rocky mountain ledges and terraces, especially early morning.

Spiny-tailed lizard (Dhub)

Stout, herbivorous lizard with spiny tail and flattened body, basks on rocks by day. Vulnerable locally from collection; common name “dhub” — spot them sunning on rocks in deserts and dry wadis.

Desert monitor

Large, slender monitor with long neck and strong limbs; active hunter of reptiles and eggs. Least Concern; occasionally seen crossing desert tracks or near rocky outcrops during daytime.

Arabian cobra

Medium-sized cobra with hood; diurnal to crepuscular predator of rodents and birds. Venomous and defensive; keep distance. Locally present in southern Oman’s scrub and wadis; rare but possible sightings.

Saw-scaled viper

Small, stout, cryptically patterned viper; highly venomous and hidden in sand. Typically nocturnal or crepuscular. Common in arid habitats; respect when walking at night and look for warning signs.

Yellow-bellied sea snake

Slim, pelagic sea snake with yellow belly and dark back; entirely marine and feeds on fish. Occasional tropical visitor in offshore waters; seen drifting at sea or washed up after storms.

Desert locust

Large migratory grasshopper known for mass swarms that rapidly eat vegetation. Highly mobile and outbreak-prone; important to local agriculture and ecosystem dynamics. Seasonal swarms observed after rains and vegetation growth.

White-cheeked tern

Slender tern with forked tail and distinctive white cheeks; dives for small fish from hovering. Coastal breeder and migrant; regularly seen around islands, reefs and shallow bays.

Hooded wheatear

Small, pale wheatear with upright stance and habit of perching on rocks. Insectivorous and often seen singly or in pairs. A common resident of rocky and stony habitats across Oman.

Sooty gull

Stocky gull with dark grey upperwings and white belly; forages on fish and invertebrates. Resident coastal species; easy to spot along shorelines, estuaries and islands.

Napoleon wrasse

Large, colorful reef fish with distinctive forehead in adults, up to large sizes. Slow-growing and vulnerable to overfishing. Seen by divers on healthy coral reefs, often near drop-offs and bommies.