EXPLORE 2025
Who?
The Dhofar Centre for Wildlife Research, founded in 2025 by Dr. Hadi Al Hikmani and Dr. Lawrence Ball, is a conservation organisation specialising in environmental consulting, scientific research, and volunteering in Oman’s Dhofar region. Hadi is the world’s leading expert in Arabian Leopard conservation and Lawrence has led research expeditions and studied Dhofar’s cloud forests for over a decade. The Centre is rooted in a passion for wildlife, a belief in the power of evidence, and a mission to protect and restore nature in the Arabian Peninsula.
Where?
Dhofar, the southernmost region of Oman, is a land of striking contrasts where the vast dunes of the Empty Quarter meet lush, green mountains fed by monsoon mists harboring subtropical cloud forests, freshwater springs, and pristine beaches. The region boasts rich biodiversity with high endemism, rare and threatened species, and a unique assemblage of large predators including, the critically endangered Arabian leopard, Arabian Wolf, Striped Hyena, and Caracal. Dhofar, famous for its frankincense trade, is home to the Mehri (Jabali) people, whose distinct language and traditions reflect centuries of trade, pastoralism, and coastal life.
What?
The Dhofar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (DBMP), led by the Centre and supported by local and international volunteers, tracks biodiversity change over time to assess long-term trends and responses to climate change, human development, disturbance, and conservation efforts. The program will generate critical biodiversity data, while fostering cultural exchange, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing between Omani and international researchers and volunteers. At the same time, it will deliver economic and educational benefits for rural communities, raise international awareness of Dhofar’s unique natural heritage, and support further research through visiting scholars and students.
When?
In October 2027, the Centre will launch research operations from its field station in the Dhofar Mountains, rotating annually between the three mountain ranges (Qamar, Qara and Samhan) to ensure consistent, repeatable monitoring. Fieldwork will run from October to May, pausing during the monsoon season and Ramadan.
Why?
The program’s results will provide evidence on the status of biodiversity across Dhofar, to understand how it is responding to changing drivers, and to inform decision-making by local and national government. As Oman’s Vision 2040 includes major infrastructure projects in the region, the DBMP will provide an essential evaluation of potential and actual ecological impacts.