The Natural History of Oman: a Festschrift for Michael Gallagher

The Natural History of Oman: a Festschrift for Michael Gallagher

For those readers who may not be familiar with the term, a festschrift (apart from being the only word I know that contains six consecutive consonants) is "a volume of articles, essays, etc. contributed by many authors in honour of a colleague, and usually published on the occasion of the person's retirement." This particular festschrift is exactly that: it honours Michael Gallagher and his achievements during his long association with the natural history of the Sultanate of Oman.

It is an unpretentious book, containing a wealth of information and its compilation is not only a fine tribute to Michael Gallagher but also to the authors and those responsible for putting it together. The book could easily have been larger format, with bigger maps and more photographs, and it would no doubt have been very much more expensive. Confining the weighty content to the modest size of the final book was no doubt an important factor in seeing the project through to completion, and it has kept the price down. The result is a publication of outstanding value, and one which everyone interested in the natural history of Arabia will want to own. Michael Gallagher began his involvement with the natural history of Oman in 1970. He took part in numerous surveys and assisted many people in other surveys; he collected countless specimens and dispatched them to the world's experts. His contribution to our knowledge of flora and fauna in this part of the world is immense. From 1985 until his retirement in 1998 he was the Director of the Oman Natural History Museum. It is a fine tribute to his talents and energies that no fewer than thirty species have been named after him, i.e. they carry the specific or subspecific name gallagheri. The range of groups involved is an indication of his breadth of interests. They comprise two arachnids, one isopod, 19 insects, two marine molluscs, one bat, one rodent, two lizards, one fish and one plant. In view of this record it is perhaps unfortunate that the book does not contain a section on insects, but there is clearly a limit to the amount of quality information which can be compiled in one book.

Without exception, the chapters in the book are all masterly expositions of the current state of knowledge of different aspects of Oman's natural history. They cover plants, reptiles, sea turtles, birds, terrestrial mammals, the Arabian Tahr, the Arabian Leopard and cetaceans. The whole book has a great deal of relevance to the UAE, providing an invaluable source of archival information, much of which has not been published before, and each chapter includes a long and authoritative bibliography. This can be particularly important in a country where it is not easy to come across all the literature which the naturalist requires.

The interest of the book is enhanced by inclusion of the results of "photo-trapping." This technique of setting self-triggering cameras in suitable places in remote areas is proving invaluable in the study of rare and sensitive mammals. The (black and white) photographs achieved in this way for the Nubian ibex, Arabian leopard, Arabian tahr and striped hyaena are magnificent. In the case of the leopard, the pattern of spots permits the identification of individuals, a very important tool in the study of this highly elusive and endangered species.

It is invidious to pick out particular contributions for praise when all the chapters are so worthy, but those on plants, reptiles and cetaceans are of great general interest (did you know that Oman supports no fewer than 25 species of gecko, six skinks, six vipers and nine sea snakes?). These chapters will undoubtedly also be used by professionals for many years to come. The account of the history of herpetological studies in Oman makes very interesting reading. The studies are still continuing, and a new species of dhub was discovered as recently as 1998!

The chapter by Martin Fisher on the conservation status of the terrestrial mammals is particularly relevant to us in UAE, as we share (or once shared) many of the same species, and many have declined in the two countries for the same reasons. The application of the criteria take a bit of deciphering but it is worth persevering. For example the Arabian leopard is regarded as Critically Endangered in Oman on the basis that it meets criteria B1+2a, C2a and D. I think this means that its range has suffered severe fragmentation and continues to decline; its population is less than 250 individuals and continues to decline, and the population contains less than 50 mature individuals. This could have been made a little more transparent!

This paper contains an interesting comparison with the National Red List of Mammals for the UAE (Tribulus 6.1). Martin Fisher correctly points out some errors in the IUCN Red List as regards mammals in Arabia, but I must point out that the reason he gives for the incorrect number of threatened artiodactyls in the UAE paper actually concerns the wild goat (a single published record on the Oman/UAE border which he regards as an escapee) rather than confusion over Gazella subgutturosa. Apart from this quibble, the article contains some important updates on the status of the ten threatened mammals in Oman: the Nubian ibex, mountain and sand gazelle, Ruppell's fox, caracal lynx, striped hyaena, Arabian tahr, oryx, wolf and leopard. It is depressing that these magnificent animals are all threatened, but also depressing that a further 31 species are Data Deficient (not counting the 17 species of Least Concern). We are all desperate for more information!

Throughout the book there is an emphasis on conservation, and this is very welcome in view of the significant threats facing wildlife in this part of the world. Even Oman, which has, in addition to its low population density, a longer history of taxonomic and ecological studies, and a better developed national framework for environmental protection than the UAE, is facing severe threats to its wildlife. Knowledge is a vital pre-requisite for conservation and this book will play a key role in future conservation strategies because it has pulled together so much information in a readily assimilable form.

The UAE can learn much from this book. The Sultanate of Oman benefited enormously from the dedicated and systematic approach adopted by Michael Gallagher over many years. His knowledge did not disappear with him, as he published profusely (over 100 such references being cited in the bibliography of his work), and helped to build a series of collections and databases which are still being maintained today. Clearly we need the same sort of infrastructure and co-operation in the UAE. I sincerely hope that Emirates Natural History Group, and Tribulus in particular, will be playing their part in this endeavour for many years, and that ERWDA and the federal agencies will learn from the fine example set by Oman.