Joanna James
Contrary to popular belief, Oman is not all about desert and heat. There is a prominent wildlife in the area making for one of the popular attractions in Salalah.
Elongated body and short stubby legs, the Small Spotted Genet looks rather adorable at first glance. The tail of the Ganet is cylindrical throughout and is long compared to its body length. The large ears are prominent and stick out, while the pointed muzzle is with thick hair.
The main feature to identify the Small Spotted Genet is the presence of seven dark red lines that are placed irregular on its nape. There are reddish spots located in five lines on the flanks, earning it its name.
Shy by nature, the Genet is nocturnal. This means that if you take a day tour from one of the famous hotels like Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara, you might not encounter these creatures. However, if you opt for a night safari or take a stroll in the night, make sure to look up the occasional tree for a pair of gleaming eyes.
If you are venturing out during the day, it is best to look for the Genet under shaded trees, crevices of rocks and wooded wadis. The abundance of food in these places coupled with the cool atmosphere make these a favourite hideout of the Genet.
On a cool day when the skies are overcast with a dense layer of clouds, you might encounter a honey badger. Mostly black with a white back that grabs your attention, you need to be careful not to make it feel threatened, for the honey badger has sharp front claws. It earns its name from its desire for honey and would go to great lengths including digging up and opening honeybee nests for a lick of the sticky sweet. They also love to snack on termites and you will often find termitaries being torn apart by the honey badger.
Never underestimate this nocturnal opportunist feeder, though, as the Honey Badger is one of the most courageous of the animal kingdom. They rarely engage in combat, but when they do they almost never back out.
If you happen to see a brown rabbit on your mountain hike, take another look because it might be Hyrax. Resembling a brown rabbit at first glance, the Hyrax is a chubby creature with a stub for a tail and short stubby limbs.
They favour the rocky mountainous outcrops and are far agiler than their build will have you believe. Hyrax mostly move in packs, with a few of the creatures standing guard while others have their daily dose of nutrition.
Mostly active during early morning and late afternoon, Hyrax can live on the moisture of their food alone for days. Weighing about 5kg at an average, Hyrax is threatened by numerous predators of the sky. They prefer to sunbathe mainly as a mechanism of controlling their body temperature.
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