Muscat – Oman is a vital sanctuary for the Socotra cormorant, a threatened bird species native to the Arabian Sea, the southeastern Arabian Peninsula, and Socotra Island.

In 2023, the Environment Authority (EA) successfully recorded 45,000 Socotra cormorants in Musandam governorate, a key seasonal habitat for these birds.

Locally known as ‘Lowh,’ Socotra cormorants are occasionally spotted as far as the Red Sea coast in the west and are known to breed on Socotra Island in Yemen.

Eng Noura Abdullah al Shehhi, head of the Environmental Conservation Section in Musandam, noted that these cormorants gather in Musandam’s rocky areas and sandy beaches from May to September in search of their primary food, sardines.

Shehhi explained that the Socotra cormorant was named after its first sighting on Socotra Island in Yemen. These birds are distinct, with adult cormorants having black feathers and young ones being brown with a slender neck and white belly. They can grow up to 80cm in length.

The Environment Authority is dedicated to monitoring and studying various migratory bird species in Oman. Their efforts include conducting field surveys and addressing the threats faced by Socotra cormorant, such as marine pollution, coastal development, and hunting.