Dhofar Oman 2014

For your reports/images, made outside Europe and the "Mediterranean" countries. Not to be too narrow minded and limited to our European/Mediterranean herps.

Dhofar Oman 2014

Postby Jürgen Gebhart » Sat Sep 27, 2014 4:45 pm

After the Spring Trip with my wife to South Tyrol/Tuscany (viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1873) and the honeymoon Trip to the US (viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1960) and 4 Weeks without my Driver’s license (Police don`t like my driving style)(No Driver’s license no herping in my home range) I needed a real Herp Trip, I needed it so badly!

A Trip for fun, relaxing, enjoying the nature and finding as many herps as possible.
Not like a Trip I had the two years before to Israel with annoying Kids on my Side, “where can we find this”, “can we go to that place”, “what we are doing here?” “Are you sure that this is the right place” and something like that.

I decided to go back to the Oman, alone!
Frist Trip plan was going from north to south and back, all in all around 4000 km in 6 Days –
Fun, relaxing???? No

Other plan – I go from north the half way down the east coast, all in all 3000 km
Also not a good plan.

And then I found the master plan, why not flying to the south?
Yes that is what I was looking for, fun, fantastic nature, relaxing and a lot of herps.

I booked the flight, the car, the hotel for my ego-trip.

And then, I don`t know why, maybe because I`m old, I ask Thomas Reich from Switzerland if he want to come with me and he said to my big surprise “Yes”.
Sometimes I don`t understand myself!

On Friday the 19th Thomas come up from Switzerland we met at my house, drove to Munich and we fly via Milano – Mascat – to Salalah.
We arrived at 12:00 h and the Adventure started.
We visited all the well-known Herping places and some new places.
From June to the beginning of September is the Monsoon season at Dhofar, I thought in the middle of September the Monsoon is over and a lot of Herps are active.
Mistake!
The Monsoon was not over! We visited the upper Wadi Darbat at night and it was raining! No Animals
During the Day, up in the Mountain it was always fogy or overcast with some rain.
In the Coastal area the weather was ok, but some Days were also overcast.
The Temperatures during the Day at the Costal area were between 26 and 32 Degrees
At Night around 25. The Humidity was very high.
The Temperatures in the fogy mountains were between 20 and 23 Degrees.
Also the activity of Herps during the Day was very, very low.
Every Morning at around 11:00 h I had a Ozzy Ozbourne song in my brain
“I`m waiting for Darkness”
At night the activity was not bad.
All in all it was a good Trip with a few new Species and some new areas for me.
I don`t think it was the last time for me in Oman.

A few pcis

Atractaspis andersoni
Image

Chamaeleo arabicus
Image

Wadi Darbat May 2013
Image

Wadi Darbat September 2014
Image

Echis khosatzkii
Image

Mud Skipper
Image

More pics at

https://www.flickr.com/photos/56611613@N04/
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Re: Dhofar Oman 2014

Postby Andre Schmid » Sat Sep 27, 2014 5:37 pm

Very nice Echis sp.. Looks like a great trip,beside the rain and fog. Oman is also on the top of my wishlist - one day .... :D
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Re: Dhofar Oman 2014

Postby miguel santos » Sat Sep 27, 2014 11:03 pm

It was indeed a great trip, lots of species I did not know...
Indeed great Echis and I like the Uromastix as well. Did you see them full in the sun with very high temperatures or could you find then early in the morning as well?
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Re: Dhofar Oman 2014

Postby Mario Schweiger » Sun Sep 28, 2014 7:50 am

great pics!
If anybody wants to find a specimen of a species, lost since decades, he has to ask our Jürgen ;) ;)
Two trips to an area and two specimens found.
btw, there is no H. homoeolepis in Oman (or the whole Arabian peninsula mainland) anymore. Its now H. minutus RAQUEL VASCONCELOS & SALVADOR CARRANZA, 2014. PDF-6923 in DB.
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Please visit also my personal Herp-site vipersgarden.at
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Re: Dhofar Oman 2014

Postby Peter Oefinger » Sun Sep 28, 2014 8:44 am

Great: looks like a no sleep - no food - plenty of cigarettes - lot of fun - trip!
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Re: Dhofar Oman 2014

Postby GertJan Verspui » Sun Sep 28, 2014 4:55 pm

Well done Jurgen!!! Great herps, great photo's, I feel terrible now, thanks!!! ;)
Amphibian & Reptile Adventures http://www.gertjanverspui.com
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Re: Dhofar Oman 2014

Postby Jürgen Gebhart » Sun Sep 28, 2014 8:32 pm

miguel santos wrote:. Did you see them full in the sun with very high temperatures or could you find then early in the morning as well?


We found them at around 10:00 a.m., if I remeber right it was the only morning without clouds or fog, Temperatures around 28 Degrees.
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Re: Dhofar Oman 2014

Postby Jürgen Gebhart » Sun Sep 28, 2014 8:34 pm

Peter Oefinger wrote:Great: looks like a no sleep - no food - plenty of cigarettes - lot of fun - trip!


We spend more than 8 hours every night in the Hotel room, a small breakfast and one meal per Day was enough,
and yes of course plenty of cigarettes and a lot of fun! :)
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Re: Dhofar Oman 2014

Postby Jürgen Gebhart » Sun Sep 28, 2014 8:36 pm

GertJan Verspui wrote: I feel terrible now, thanks!!! ;)


than I got my Target, it was your Choice Baby, Romania is so much better! ;)
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Re: Dhofar Oman 2014

Postby Kristian Munkholm » Sun Sep 28, 2014 9:04 pm

As Mario, I am very impressed with your Rhynchocalamus :shock:

Also, love the Atractaspis, U. benti, P. carteri, Chamaeleo, etc.

In short, I am envious.
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