Below you can find a complete list of Omani animals. We currently track 224 animals in Oman and are adding more every day!
Situated on the southeast corner of the Arabian peninsula and at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the oil-rich Sultanate of Oman is a primarily desert region bisected by a range of mountains running approximately parallel to the coastline but situated in the middle of the country.
The animal life of Oman thus separates itself into three basic categories. These are the animals of the desert regions, those of the mountains, and the species found along the coast of the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf.
The Official National Animal Of Oman
Oman has both a national animal and a national bird. The national animal is the Arabian, or White, Oryx. This is also the national animal of several surrounding and nearby countries as well. The Arabian Oryx is a typical desert antelope species with a prominent shoulder hump and very long, straight horns.
The national bird species of Oman is the Barbary Falcon. This is a small to medium sized raptor very similar to the slightly larger peregrine falcon.
Where To Find The Top Wild Animals In Oman
The Sultanate has taken very great care to protect and preserve its wildlife resources. Since the country is 82% desert, the areas that can support large populations of wildlife are largely limited to those which offer a reliable source of water.
Many of these areas are khawrs, or lagoons. Several of them have been grouped together under the rubric of the Salalah Coast Reserve. A significant number of these outlets to the sea have been designated as animal reserves, particularly for Oman’s large endowment of sea turtles and birds. Oman’s specific overall Turtle Reserve encompasses several large satellite parks apart from the khawrs.
A very large park, the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary has been set aside for the Oryx. On the other end of this scale, a very small reserve, Khawr Qurom Sageir has been set aside to protect a rare species of tree, Platoon alartdiat, from becoming extinct. This unique preserve measures a mere 300 x 50 meters.
Up in the mountains, the Jabal Samhan Nature Reserve is home to the high altitude species of Oman, in particular the Arabian Leopard, which is in serious danger of becoming extinct. Only about 200 specimens remain.
The Most Dangerous Animals In Oman
The number one dangerous animal in Oman is the Carpet Viper, which is considered to be among the 10 most deadly snakes in the world. It is reportedly not much of a threat unless you annoy it deliberately. Several other snake species of a venomous nature are found in Oman, including the Cobra, the Horned Viper, and the Puff Adder.
A very small number of Arabian Gray Wolves are also present in the country. Yet they too are on the edge of becoming an extinct life form, at least in the wild.
Endangered Animals In Oman
The Arabian Oryx and Arabian Leopard are the most well-known endangered animals in Oman. Many species have been so badly degraded over the years that hunting of any kind of wildlife in Oman is prohibited.
Numerous aquatic creatures are also endangered to some degree. This is why Oman makes such an effort to protect the spawning grounds of the sea turtles which nest along its coastline.
Flag of Oman
Oman’s flag has changed several times throughout history, depending on the powers that ruled. Currently, the flag contains the colors of red, white, and green. The green represents the nations fertile soil and past dependence on agriculture. White, as it so often does, symbolizes peace. Lastly, red stands for the blood lost by those who fought and died for country. The national coat of arms is also featured on the flag. This historical image is known as the Khanjar Bo Sayfain.
Omani Animals
Stunningly beautiful wings
First evolved 100 million years ago!
Renew their horns every year!
The Arabian cobra is the only true cobra species that can be found in the Arabian Peninsula.
They are so named because they "march" in armies of worms from one crop to another in search of food
Arsinoitherium was a twin-horned mammal that looked like a rhino but is more closely related to present-day elephants.
Extinct ancestor of all domesticated cattle!
Has a curved, upturned beak!
People spin clothing and fishing nets out of these spiders’ silk.
There are over 1768 known species!
Found everywhere around the world!
Older offspring help care for new hatchlings.
Detects prey using echolocation!
There are 8 different species!
Bed bugs feed for 4-12 minutes.
Rock paintings of bees date back 15,000 years
There are more than 350,000 different species
Not all birds are able to fly!
The biscuit beetle form a symbiotic relationship with yeast
They typically prey on insects!
These snakes have been introduced to all continents, except Antarctica!
“Mild-Mannered Minimonsters”
Can live its entire life indoors
The most common species of bee!
There are thought to be up 17,500 species!
Can survive without water for 10 months!
The camel crickets that are found in the USA are light brown in color. They also have dark streaks all over their body.
Has 20 different muscles in it's ears!
Carpenter ants can lift up to seven times their own weight with their teeth!
The Carpet Viper probably bites and kills more people than any other species of snake.
May have been domesticated up to 10,000 years ago.
The larvae of a moth or butterfly!
There are nearly 3,000 different species!
There are about 3,000 documented species!
There are more than 160 different species!
First domesticated more than 10,000 years ago!
Cicadas have one of the longest insect lifespans
Dated to be around 300 million years old!
Pupae are able to undergo diapause to survive poor fruit yield years and winter.
The most common raptor in the UK!
The common furniture beetle feeds exclusively on wood
House spiders have the ability to eat most insects in a home.
They can fly 35 mph and dive 150 feet below water.
There are nearly 1.5 billion worldwide!
There are 93 different crab groups
Crab Spiders can mimic ants or bird droppings
Many are critically endangered species!
Male crickets can produce sounds by rubbing their wings together
Have changed little in 200 million years!
A group of these birds is called a Murder.
There are around 40 different species!
Solitary locusts are grey while gregarious locusts are yellow with stripes.
These tiny wolves prefer to cohabitate in pairs or groups of three (generally two males and a female).
First domesticated in South-East Asia!
Dog ticks feed on dogs and other mammals
First domesticated 5,000 years ago!
Found in Europe, Africa and Asia!
It's larvae are carnivorous!
Rows of tiny plates line their teeth!
The dung beetle can push objects many times its own weight
Has exceptional eyesight!
They are hermaphrodites, which means they have male and female organs
There are nearly 2,000 different species!
Eels can be a mere few inches long to 13 feet!
They steal large ostrich eggs and use rocks and pebbles to crack the shells.
Spends around 22 hours a day eating!
The fastest creatures on the planet!
When it feels threatened, it mimics a cobra in an attempt to dissuade a potential attacker.
False spiders actually prey on black widow spiders and other hazardous spiders
The fiddler crab gets its name from the motion the males make with their over-sized claw during the mating ritual.
Found across mainland Europe and Asia!
The firefly produces some of the most efficient light in the world
Adult fleas can jump up to 7 inches in the air
There are more than 240,000 different species!
Can glide up to 90 meters!
Only 12 species are considered "true foxes"
There are around 7,000 different species!
Among the largest bats in the world
Fruit flies are among the most common research animals in the world
Named for the Arabic word for love poems
There are thought to be over 2,000 species!
Originally known as the Desert Rat!
The most common type of urban roach
The largest fish in its genus
Found inhabiting dense woodland and caves!
Males form large mating swarms at dusk
Most closely related to the Sheep!
Their calls sound like high-pitched screams, but they are quiet most of the time.
Migrates between Europe and Asia!
There are 29 different species!
There are 11,000 known species!
One of the most invasive species in the world
Able to run as quickly backwards as forwards!
Can reach speeds of over 50 mph!
Many hawk moth caterpillars eat toxins from plants, but don’t sequester them the way milkweed butterflies do. Most toxins are excreted.
Thought to be one of the oldest mammals on Earth!
Inhabits wetlands around the world!
One of earth's bravest creatures!
There are only 8 recognized species!
Stunning bird with a stinky way to deter predators!
Horned vipers sidewind across the desert sands of their home.
Has evolved over 50 million years!
Horseflies have been seen performing Immelmann turns, much like fighter jets.
Thought to have orignated 200,000 years ago!
There are four different species!
Can jump over 6 feet straight up from a standstill
Found in swamps, marshes and wetlands!
There are an estimated 30 million species!
Can maintain speeds of 16 km/h!
Tiny rodent with a kangaroo-like jump!
Some can jump 50 times the length of their bodies
Inhabits wetlands and woodlands worldwide!
There are more than 5,000 species worldwide!
Lappet-faced vultures are tidy and wash their heads in a body of water after they’ve eaten
The offspring of a lion and tiger parents!
There are around 5,000 different species!
Each locust can eat its weight in plants each day.
Ear tufts make it look bigger!
Often hangs upside down while feeding!
They are found across Europe, Asia and Africa!
They have a symbiotic relationship with ants.
Some species have a poisonous bite!
Primarily hunts and feeds on Earthworms!
Range in size from just 1 to 3 foot!
Has characteristics of two or more breeds!
Some species are thought to carry a weak venom!
There are around 260 known species!
Feeds on aquatic insects and water-spiders!
Only the female mosquito actually sucks blood
There are 250,000 different species!
Found on every continent on Earth!
The offspring of a horse and donkey parents!
Roamed Asia and Europe for around 100,000 years!
Nematodes range in size from 1/10 of an inch to 28 feet long
Able to regrow lost or damaged limbs!
Named more than 1,000 years ago!
There are more than 5,000 species.
Females are about four times the size of males
They reuse nesting sites for 70 years!
There are 13 different species worldwide
The owl can rotate its head some 270 degrees
Monk parakeets are the only parakeets that actually build nests. They’re also the only parakeets to nest in great colonies.
Can live for up to 100 years!
Thought to have originated in the Middle East!
Females lay between 8 and 12 eggs per clutch!
The pheasant-tailed jacana is the only species in its family that migrates long distances.
Thought to have been domesticated in 9,000 BC!
They can find their way back to their nests from up to 1300 miles away.
Found in mountainous regions and rocky areas
There are 500 different species!
There are 30 different species worldwide!
The mantis can turn its head 180 degrees.
Inhabits woodland and forest areas worldwide!
There are more than 300 different species!
Omnivores that eat anything!
It's horns are made from keratin!
Inhabits freshwater habitats around the world!
There are more than 45 species in Australia alone!
The capybara, the world’s largest rodent, likes to be in and around bodies of water. Because of this, the Catholic Church in South America decided that it was a fish, and people were allowed to eat it during Lent and First Fridays.
Will mate with the entire flock!
Ferrets were used during the Revolutionary War to keep down the rat population.
There are more than 700 different species!
They can survive for weeks without drinking water because the get moisture from their prey.
The sand crab burrows beneath the sand with its tail
This is the smallest venomous snake in India's Big Four.
There are around 2,000 known species!
The sea eagle tends to mate for life with a single partner
Males give birth to up to 1,000 offspring!
Around 35 million in the English countryside!
The short-eared owl is one of the most widespread owl species in the world, covering five continents.
The spinal column of the shrew Scutisorex somereni is so strong and reinforced that it can support the weight of an adult human.
There are 2,000 different species worldwide!
Some skinks lay eggs in some habitats while giving birth to skinklets in other habitats.
Found widely throughout British gardens!
They glide around on one foot, which is aided by the slime they produce
Has up to 45 eggs per egg case
There are nearly 1,000 different species!
There are around 4,000 known species worldwide
A male song thrush can have over 100 phrases in his repertoire of songs and can imitate pet birds, telephones and other man-made objects.
There are 140 different species!
They prey on spiders to feed their larvae or they parasitize other spider wasps.
Small rodents found in woodlands worldwide!
There are more than 3,000 different species!
Average adults weigh about 200 grams!
They can’t sing like other birds.
The striped hyenas usually mark their territories with the help of the scent gland secretions from their anal pouch.
Populations have been affected by pollution!
Tarantula hawks are excellent pollinators, especially for milkweed.
Their mounds can be up to 9 meters tall!
The American robin is called the robin because its red breast reminded European settlers of the robin back in the old country.
They inject hosts with a chemical that stops them from feeling the pain of the bite
The adult tiger beetle is one of the fastest land insects in the world
Can live until they are more than 150 years old!
Found in warmer jungles and forests!
Some species of aquatic turtles can get up to 70 percent of their oxygen through their butt.
Vinegaroons can spray 19 times before the glands are depleted
Vipers are one of the most widespread groups of snakes and inhabit most
There are 30 different species worldwide!
There are around 75,000 recognised species!
Has been domesticated for thousands of years!
Spends most of it's time in the trees!
The smallest carnivorous mammal in the world!
There are two different types of white ferrets!
None have been seen in the wild for 50 years!
Males have a top tusk to sharpen the bottom one!
Thought to date back more than 300,000 years!
Carnivorous arachnid that hunts its prey.
This animal can roll up into a ball
Unlike most spiders, woodlouse spiders don’t build a web.
There are 200 different species!
They feign death by making their bodies limp and closing their eyes.
There are around 75 different species!
Omani Animals List
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What kind of animals live in Oman?
In the unique and challenging environment of Oman, the most numerous animals are those which are domesticated by humans. This primarily means very large numbers of camels and donkeys in comparison to all other species.
Oman is also home to the unique Arabian Leopard, whose habitat has dwindled to the point where it is found almost nowhere else except within a few limited areas of the country. The majestic Arabian Oryx and the Barbary Falcon are both considered to be national animals of the country.
Much of the wildlife viewing in Oman comes in the form of exploring the places where various sea turtle species, whales, dolphins, and the many bird species are found along the littoral regions.
What snakes are in Oman?
There are about a dozen snake species in Oman, most of which are relatively benign. The four dangerous members are the Cobra, the Horned Viper, the Puff Adder, and the Carpet Viper. Yet these are all rare species and seldom found among human-populated areas.