Field to Findings. Knowledge to Action.

Our active and diverse research program builds knowledge to support conservation action. Grounded in academia, we specialize in facilitating international research collaborations across the Arabian Peninsula.

Our Scientific Services

  • We’ll support you with obtaining permission for research in Oman.

  • Partner with us and boost the profile and impact of your research project.

  • We’ll support fieldwork logistics, from accommodation to evacuation, we’ve got you covered.

  • Book one of our wildlife experts for your speaking event. Scientific or inspirational in English, Arabic or Jibbali (Shehri).

  • We’ll expertly review your scientific manuscript and guide you smoothly through the publication journey.

  • We’ll translate your scientific outputs to reach a wider audience.

Our Research Projects

Featured
South Arabia’s Ancient Pastoralists
South Arabia’s Ancient Pastoralists

In arid regions across northern Africa, Asia and Arabia, ancient pastoralists constructed small-scale stone monuments of varying form, construction, placement, age, and function. Our multivariate analysis of 371 archaeological monuments in the arid Dhofar region of Oman identifies environmental and cultural factors that influenced variable placement and construction across a 7000-year history.

Northward Expansion of the Critically Endangered Arabian Leopard
Northward Expansion of the Critically Endangered Arabian Leopard

The Critically Endangered Arabian leopard was believed to be absent from the Nejd region in Dhofar Governorate, Oman. However, during 2014-2021, our camera traps documented at least eight individual leopards, demonstrating the species is resident and breeding in the region. This finding extends the Arabian leopard’s known range in Oman by c. 40 km northwards. We advocate the designation of central and western areas of the Nejd as a National Nature Reserve, to protect critical habitat for the Arabian leopard and for other species in this region.

Mapping Habitat Suitability for Arabia’s Last Big Cat
Mapping Habitat Suitability for Arabia’s Last Big Cat

The Dhofar Centre for Wildlife Research is pioneering the use of advanced methods of habitat suitability mapping for the Arabian Leopard across Arabia. Leveraging an Ensemble Species Distribution Modelling technique, we hope to guide ecological feasibility assessments and decisions for the restoration of Arabian leopard populations in Arabia.

Contemporary Pastoralism in the Dhofar Mountains of Oman
Contemporary Pastoralism in the Dhofar Mountains of Oman

In this study we interviewed pastoralists to examine the prevailing drivers of pastoralism and how they are changing in the Dhofar Mountains of Oman. Our study reveals how pastoral values, passed down within households, motivate pastoralists in the face of high husbandry costs, modernization and social change.

The Diversity of Dhofar’s Cloud Forest
The Diversity of Dhofar’s Cloud Forest

This research describes patterns of variation in the species composition of the Terminalia forest in Dhofar, Oman, and examines causal environmental factors. Six new variants of the Terminalia forest are described. Distinct variants of the Terminalia forest result from spatial variability in environmental conditions associated with the complex topography, monsoon fog distributions, and anthropogenic disturbance. The results of this study could assist practitioners to rapidly identify and prioritise these variants for conservation.

First Camera Trap Record of Caracal Twin Kittens in Saudi Arabia
First Camera Trap Record of Caracal Twin Kittens in Saudi Arabia

We report here the first record of twin caracal kittens in Saudi Arabia. A series of camera-trap photographs taken on 6 August 2023 show a female caracal with her twin kittens on the southern escarpment in Al Namas area in the Asir region. We estimate the kittens were born in February or March 2023.

Publications

McCorriston J, Ball L, Harrower MJ, Hamilton IM, Ivory SJ, Senn MJ, Steimer-Herbet T, Buffington AF, Al-Kathiri AA, Al-Mahri AM (2025) South Arabia’s prehistoric monument landscape shows social resilience to climate change. PLOS ONE 20 (5): e0323544. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0323544.

Lewis E, Fitzmaurice A, Swinnerton K, Gardner R, Ball L, Armour-Chelu N (2025) Is Britain still Great for Pine Marten? A Habitat Suitability Assessment. bioRxiv 2025–03.

Al Hikmani H, Van Oosterhout C, Birley T, Labisko J, Jackson HA, Spalton A, Tollington S, Groombridge JJ (2024) Can genetic rescue help save Arabia’s last big cat? Evolutionary Applications 17 (5): e13701. doi: 10.1111/eva.13701.

Al Hikmani H, Spalton A (2024) Arabian leopard remains Critically Endangered. The new Cat News

Al Hikmani H, Al Hikmani K, Alshehri A, Van Essen L (2024) Potential evidence of the Critically Endangered Arabian leopard in southern Saudi Arabia. Oryx 58 (4): 421–422.

Al Hikmani H, Al Hikmani K, Alshehri A (2024) First camera-trap record of caracal twin kittens in Saudi Arabia. Oryx 58 (1): 14–14.

Al Hikmani H, Al Hikmani K (2024) Northward expansion of the Critically Endangered Arabian leopard in Dhofar, Oman. Oryx 58 (6): 710–714.

Fellous‐Djardini A, Yamaguchi N, Al Hikmani H, Haddane B, Black SA (2023) The natural history of lions in North Africa and the relevance of their depiction in the “Lions Attacking a Dromedary” diorama. Curator: The Museum Journal 66 (3): 419–439. doi: 10.1111/cura.12564.

Al Hikmani H, Spalton A (2023) Recent illegal killing of critically endangered Arabian leopards in Hawf, Yemen. Oryx 57 (3): 283–284.

Spalton A, Al Hikmani H (2022) Dhofar: Monsoon Mountains to Sand Seas. Gilgamesh Publishin.

Farhadinia MS, Waldron A, Kaszta Ż, Eid E, Hughes A, Ambarlı H, Al-Hikmani H, Buuveibaatar B, Gritsina MA, Haidir I (2022) Current trends suggest most Asian countries are unlikely to meet future biodiversity targets on protected areas. Communications Biology 5 (1): 1221.

Dunford CE, Martins QE, Mann GK, Spalton JA, Al Hikmani H, Robinson NP, Almalki A, Gallacher E, Balme GA, Robinson HS (2022) Modelling potential habitat suitability for critically endangered Arabian leopards across their historical range in Saudi Arabia. Journal for nature conservation 68

Al Hikmani H, M Jadad, R Zaabanoot, A Al Rasbi, K Al Hikmani, A Spalton (2022) First records of sand cat in Dhofar Governorate, Oman‬. Cat News 76 22-23

Ball L, Tzanopoulos J (2020) Interplay between topography, fog and vegetation in the central South Arabian mountains revealed using a novel Landsat fog detection technique. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation 6 (4): 498–513. doi: 10.1002/rse2.151.

Ball L, Tzanopoulos J (2020) Livestock browsing affects the species composition and structure of cloud forest in the Dhofar Mountains of Oman. Applied Vegetation Science 23 (3): 363–376. doi: 10.1111/avsc.12493.

Ball L, MacMillan D, Tzanopoulos J, Spalton A, Al Hikmani H, Moritz M (2020) Contemporary Pastoralism in the Dhofar Mountains of Oman. Human Ecology 48 (3): 267–277. doi: 10.1007/s10745-020-00153-5.

Ball L, Tzanopoulos J (2020) Six new variants of the Terminalia cloud forest in the Dhofar Mountains of Oman. Phytocoenologia

Ball L (2019) Geospatial datasets for the central South Arabian mountains (CSAM) in Al Mahrah (Yemen) and Dhofar (Oman) including spatial variability in monsoon fog density. PANGAEA. PANGAEA

Al Hikmani H (2018) Leopards, camels and frankincense: The Arabian leopard of Dhofar, Oman. Cat News 18–20.

Scherz MD, Vences M, Borrell J, Ball L, Herizo Nomenjanahary D, Parker D, Rakotondratsima M, Razafimandimby E, Starnes T, Rabearivony J (2017) A new frog species of the subgenus Asperomantis (Anura, Mantellidae, Gephyromantis) from the Bealanana District of northern Madagascar. Zoosystematics and Evolution 93 (2): 451–466.

Al Hikmani HM, Al Hikmani K, Zaabanoot S , Al Shahari T (2017) First camera trap record of caracal kittens in Oman‬. Cat News 66 18.

Ball LD, Borrell JS (2016) An inventory of herpetofauna from Wadi Sayq, Dhofar, Oman. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8 (12): 9454–9460.

Al Hikmani H, Zabanoot S, Al Shahari T, Zabanoot N, Al Hikmani K, Spalton A (2015) Status of the Arabian Gazelle, Gazella arabica (Mammalia: Bovidae), in Dhofar, Oman. Zoology in the Middle East 61 (4): 295–299. doi: 10.1080/09397140.2015.1101905.

Lee TE, Black SA, Fellous A, Yamaguchi N, Angelici FM, Al Hikmani H, Reed JM, Elphick CS, Roberts DL (2015) Assessing uncertainty in sighting records: an example of the Barbary lion. PeerJ 3 e1224.

Ball L, Al-Fazari W, Borrell J (2015) Birds of Wadi Sayq, Dhofar, Oman: British Exploring Society expeditions January–March 2012 and 2013. Sandgrouse 37 (1): 2–12.

Al Hikmani H, Zaabanoot N, Zaabanoot A (2015) Camera trapping of Arabian leopard in the Nejd region of Dhofar Mountains. Cat News 62 32.

Spalton A, Al Hikmani H (2014) The Arabian Leopards of Oman. Stacey International and the Diwan of Royal Court of the Sultanate of Oman ….

Ball L (2014) An investigation of odonate communities within Wadi Sayq, Dhofar province, Oman (Insecta: Odonata). Check List 10 (4): 857–863.

Al Hikmani HM, Al Hikmani K (2014) First photographic record of twin Arabian leopards in the wild‬. Cat News 50 16

Spalton JA, Al Hikmani HM, Willis D, Said ASB (2006) Critically endangered Arabian leopards Panthera pardus nimr persist in the Jabal Samhan nature reserve, Oman. Oryx 40 (3): 287–294.

Spalton JA, Al Hikmani HM, Jahdhami MH, Ibrahim AA, Bait Said AS, Willis D (2006) Status report for the Arabian leopard in the Sultanate of Oman. Cat News 1 26–32.

Spalton JA, Al Hikmani HM (2006) The leopard in the Arabian Peninsula–distribution and subspecies status. Cat News 1 4–8.