MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik on Tuesday issued Royal Decree No. (54/2022) establishing National Natural Park Reserve in Governorate of Musandam.
The National Natural Park Reserve covers an area of 1149.90 square kilometers and includes nine offshore islands, in addition to coasts, shallow waters far from the shore, creeks, and bays.
According to the Environment Agency (EA), the islands are among the most important sites that have not been affected by human interventions, and are of national and regional importance, as well as being safe areas for nesting several types of sea and wild birds.
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The Environment Agency monitored the presence of green turtles and giraffes for nesting and feeding, and a number of wild animals such as wild rabbits, hedgehogs, lynxes, mountain foxes, red foxes, wild cats and a group of rodents.
The preliminary field survey of wild plants in the reserve showed the presence of more than 200 species of perennial, annual and seasonal plants, a number of which are considered rare and endangered species.
Marine mammals can be seen in the reserve, including the bottlenose dolphin and local species of common dolphin, spinner dolphin (spinner) and humpback whale, and these islands support many types of coral reefs.
The Royal Decree also stated that regulations and decisions shall include the method of management for this national reserve, formalities for entry to the sanctuary, the prescribed fees, the duration of stay therein, the activities allowed to be practiced or prohibited there and the appropriate administrative penalties against each case of violation.
