Hamadryas Baboons Raydah Escarpment - Abha
Whilst birding the Raydah Escarpment near Abha in southwest Saudi Arabia I saw a number of groups of Hamadryas Baboon
Papio hamadryasa species that is common in the Abha / Tanoumah area of the Asir Mountains with large groups seen all along the escarpments. It is the northernmost of all the baboons and is distinguished from other baboons by the male’s long, silver-grey shoulder cape (mane and mantle), and the pink or red rather than black face and rump. Males may have a body measurement of up to 80 cm and weigh 20–30 kg. They occur from north-eastern Africa, mainly in Ethiopia, but also eastern Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti and northern Somalia as well as the Arabian Peninsula, in Saudi Arabia and Yemen where it is the only native non-human primate. In Saudi Arabia they inhabit arid sub-desert, steppe, hilly areas, escarpments at elevations of up to 3,000 metres requiring cliffs for sleeping and finding water. They are primarily terrest
Birds of Saudi Arabia
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Bani Mashoor Ancient Village is near An Namas in the western mountains and has a large tower and some ruined buildings. The weather was very poor with low cloud and rain when we visited so I took only a few photos of the location, as we did not stay long.
Whilst birding the far northwest of Saudi Arabia, near Turaif, in January 2021 I found a Short-eared Owl in the basalt lava area near the Jordan boarder This is a scarce to uncommon winter visitor to all areas north of Jeddah, Riyadh and Hofuf. Two birds have been seen on occasion including two on Bisaita plain in the north of the Kingdom on 13 February 2009. In the Riyadh area it is a rare or scarce winter visitor. The Eastern Province has had records of multiple birds with a minimum of eight near Wari’ah, Diddibah 12-13 February 1987 and six Al Asfar Lake Jnauary to February 2018. This is only the second time I have seen the species in Saudi Arabia after seeing four at Al Asfar lake in Feb
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