Y - Issue 246 - November 27, 2012 - Y-oman.com

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special feature TRAVELS WITH THE LEOPARD MAN Oman is home to one of the world’s rarest, and most endangered big cats: the Arabian Leopard. Y speaks to the Omani who has dedicated himself to preventing its extinction ahead of a scientific expedition to discover more about Oman’s deserts and this rare and beautiful beast. Words: James Montague Photos: James Borrell 24
Hadi al Hikmani isn’t always known by his given name. More often than not the Omani conservationist is known by his nom de plume: The Leopard Man. Al Hikmani is the foremost expert on one of the rarest big cats left in the wild anywhere in the world today, the Arabian Leopard. It also happens to live amongst us. “Well, I’ve been working for a long time in this area,” he explains, laughing at how every scientist and conservationist Y had interviewed had insisted that The Leopard Man was the only person to speak to on this vanishing creature. All roads, it seemed, lead to Al Hikmani. “It is one of the most critically endangered leopards in the world. Their numbers are maybe 200. But we don’t know. It is guess work. Maybe we might now have less.” Few in Oman realise that the Sultanate has its own indigenous big cat. But the Arabian Leopard used to roam freely on the peninsula. Human development and encroachment on to the leopard’s natural habitat over the past two centuries has decimated their numbers. The situation has become so critical that global conservationists are stepping up efforts to learn more about this elusive creature – which roams in the verdant Dhofar Mountains - and prevent its extinction. In January Al Hikmani, who works for the Omani government’s Office for the Conservation of the Environment, will be overseeing a project run by the British Exploring Society to gather as much scientific evidence on the leopard as well as other under documented areas of Oman’s vast, and largely undiscovered, natural world. “Europeans look at big cats as extraordinary animals. They go to Africa to see them,” says Al Hikmani of his efforts to try and publicise the plight of the peninsula’s top natural predator. “People [in Dhofar in the past have] viewed wildlife differently. They said the leopard was an enemy, that it kills their camels and livestock. Things are changing now. We work with them and the leopards. It could provide an alternative tourist income.” The British Exploring Society’s expedition is a case in point. A team of biologists and young conservationists are coming to Oman for eight weeks to gather scientific 25
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Y - Issue 246 - November 27, 2012 - Y-oman.com

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