UAE: 81 rescued, rehabilitated turtles released in Abu Dhabi

Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), in partnership with the National Aquarium (TNA), released 81 turtles back into their natural habitat.

The agency announced that since the Wildlife Rescue Programme was launched in August 2020, an initiative developed in collaboration with TNA, a total number of 800 turtles have been rescued and a total number of 500 have been released. Since August last year, a total number of 178 turtles have been rescued and a total number of 81 have been released to grow and reproduce, ensuring an increase in their numbers.

Stranded turtles are rescued by a team of scientists from EAD and the TNA, which first checks their health and then investigates how the turtles were stranded. Depending on the turtle’s health diagnosis, a rehabilitation programme is initiated until they are fully recovered. Once the sea water temperatures are warm enough, they are then released back into the wild.

Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi, which is located within Al Saadiyat Marine National Park where the turtles were released, is home to a diverse ecosystem of protected marine and wildlife animals.

Marking the World Sea Turtle Day at Saadiyat Rotana Resort and Villas on Friday, the turtles were released by Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development, Abu Dhabi and EAD Board Member, Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of EAD, Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General of Tourism at Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT), Dr Mohammed Salman Al Hammadi, Undersecretary of the Biodiversity and Marine Life Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Manuel Rabate, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi as well as members of the community.

Dr Al Dhaheri said the aim of the Wildlife Rescue Programme is to ensure that Abu Dhabi’s waters are abundant with species so that future generations can learn and enjoy nature.

“We released the rehabilitated turtles and some were fitted with satellite tracking devices on their back to monitor their movement and swimming patterns, as well as their path of migration. This helps our scientific experts learn more about them.”

Paul Hamilton, general manager at TNA, noted the programme is one of the largest turtle rehabilitation projects in the world.

“2023 has seen further growth for the Wildlife Rescue programme with the inclusion of the Louvre Turtle Sanctuary, increasing our capacity to care for turtles as large as 100kg. 2023 will also see the launch of the Wildlife Rescue ambulance, providing immediate first aid to endangered marine life at the rescue site.”

The Agency has been researching, monitoring and protecting marine turtles in Abu Dhabi since 1999 and has succeeded in maintaining a stable population in Abu Dhabi’s territorial waters. The emirate houses two of the seven species of turtles found on the planet – both of which are threatened – the critically endangered hawksbills, and the endangered giant green turtles.

Al Dhaheri added: “Abu Dhabi’s waters are home to more than 5,500 sea turtles, both green and hawksbill turtles, and we would like this number to increase. That is why we are eager to always return them into the water as opposed to keeping them in an aquarium.”

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