ABU DHABI A nest of critically endangered Hawksbill turtles has been discovered on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat beach. It was spotted by a beach patrol in the early hours of April 22.
“This is fantastic news. We have cordoned off the nesting area so it is not disturbed by beach goers. Walking over buried eggs compacts the sand, making it difficult for hatchlings to dig their way out, said Arabella Willing, Marine Biologist at hotel Park Hyatt.
She hoped more nests would appear in the coming weeks, and urged residents and visitors to Saadiyat to stay off the beach at night, and keep outdoor lighting to a minimum.
Marine turtles are known to spend their entire life in the sea except when they are laying a nest. “The mothers crawl out to the beach and dig 30 centimetre deep holes to lay eggs. On an average, one turtle lays around 70 eggs (each the size of a ping-pong ball) in the hole,” explained Willing.
“The mother covers up the hole and does not return to check on her eggs. The babies hatch two months later and crawl into the sea. Male turtles never return to the beach again, but female turtles return in about 30 years to lay their eggs in the same place they were hatched,” she added.
