Oman plans to convert Umm Al Tair island in Musandam into nature reserve

Muscat: Oman is planning to convert the island of Umm Al Tair into a nature reserve, Abd Al Salam bin Hassan Al Kamzari, director of Environment Department in the Governorate of Musandam, has revealed.

The Musandam region, which is rich in its geographical diversity, flora and fauna, is also considered a safe haven for migratory birds, Oman News Agency, in its report, says. The region has been the cynosure of discerning people interested in exploring about bio-diversity of the region.

Abd Al Salam said that the decision to convert this island into a nature reserve was mainly due to the governorate’s natural components and environmental diversity.

In a statement to the Oman News Agency, he stressed that the government attaches great importance to preserving the environmental systems in the Sultanate in general and the Musandam Governorate in particular.

The teams have been evaluating the environmental assets spread across Musandam and trying to absorb the economic and financial value of the same, including ancient and unique trees, certain animals native to the region as well as some endangered creatures.

Umm Al Tair Island is a safe haven for migratory birds coming from Europe throughout the year. There are other islands as well in this region that are unique in their own way that attract visitors from around the world. These attractions apart, there are spectacular bays that inhabit coral reefs and a nurtured ecosystem surrounding the reefs that are well-known and well-preserved.