[1] The Arabian tahr lives on steep rocky slopes of the Hajar Mountains in Oman and the United Arab Emirates, at altitudes up to 1,800 m (5,900 ft) above sea level.

[2][3][4] The Arabian tahr was first described in 1894 by Oldfield Thomas who proposed the name Hemitragus jayakari for zoological specimens collected in Oman Jebel Taw.

They descend from their point of elevation to drink from river courses known as wadis, and travel to new areas when water dries up.

[10] In Oman, a recent increase of human migration to urban areas has resulted in domestic goats becoming feral and foraging in places that were once strictly the tahr's home.

In 1980, a captive-breeding program was set up at the Omani Mammal Breeding Center to reintroduce captive-bred individuals back into the wild.

[4][11] Another place in the UAE, Sir Bani Yas in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, was also set up for its conservation.