Robin Burden answered
When I think of Arabian desert countries, the first animal that comes to mind is the camel.
So I was pretty surprised to learn that the national animal of Oman is actually the Arabian oryx - a type of antelope that is known for its distinctly straight horns and humped shoulders.
The national animal of Oman The endangered Arabian oryx (also known as the white oryx) is regarded as the national animal of Oman, even though the species actually became extinct in the wild during the 1970s.
Thanks to special breeding programs and zoos, however, the Arabian oryx has now been reintroduced into the wild, and can be found in several Middle Eastern countries (including Saudi Arabia, Israel, United Arab Emirates, and Jordan).
Unlike many of the surrounding countries, Oman has a diverse and exotic wildlife. Apart from the Arabian Oryx, the following wildlife can all be spotted in the Arabian Sultanate:
Interestingly, the Arabian oryx features in the Bible, and is also thought to be the origin of the mythical unicorn. If you look at an oryx in profile, it does indeed appear to have only one horn!
So I was pretty surprised to learn that the national animal of Oman is actually the Arabian oryx - a type of antelope that is known for its distinctly straight horns and humped shoulders.
The national animal of Oman The endangered Arabian oryx (also known as the white oryx) is regarded as the national animal of Oman, even though the species actually became extinct in the wild during the 1970s.
Thanks to special breeding programs and zoos, however, the Arabian oryx has now been reintroduced into the wild, and can be found in several Middle Eastern countries (including Saudi Arabia, Israel, United Arab Emirates, and Jordan).
Unlike many of the surrounding countries, Oman has a diverse and exotic wildlife. Apart from the Arabian Oryx, the following wildlife can all be spotted in the Arabian Sultanate:
- Several types of wild cat
- Arabian leopard
- Desert fox
- Gazelle
- Taher
- Ibex
Interestingly, the Arabian oryx features in the Bible, and is also thought to be the origin of the mythical unicorn. If you look at an oryx in profile, it does indeed appear to have only one horn!
