Around 300 Hawksbill turtles hatch at UAE’s Al Taweelah beach this season
They are the only sea turtles that lay eggs in the UAE
Abu Dhabi: Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest industrial company in the UAE outside oil and gas, recently announced that some 300 Hawksbill turtles have hatched at EGA’s Al Taweelah beach this season, adding to approximately 7,500 successful hatchings near the company’s operations since 2011.
The critically endangered turtles are the only sea turtles that lay their eggs in the UAE. EGA’s Sustainability team monitor the beach throughout the nesting season, protect the nests from predators and debris, and rescue any injured or sick turtles.
Some 116 nests have been laid on the beach next to EGA’s operations since the monitoring programme began.
This year, four turtles were found in need of care and were transferred to the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Centre at Burj Al Arab, where they now receive expert treatment before being released back into the sea.
Beach clean-up
Before the nesting season, EGA brings together volunteers from across the company for a beach clean-up at Al Taweelah. In January, EGA employees volunteered in the clean-up and removed some 1,300 kilogrammes of waste washed up from the sea.
Abdulnasser bin Kalban, chief executive officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “EGA is committed to operating responsibly, including by protecting wildlife near our operations. We are proud to play a role in the conservation of these magnificent creatures, which are part of the UAE’s natural heritage and biodiversity. Our team works hard to ensure that our beach is a safe and welcoming habitat for the turtles, and we are delighted to see another successful hatching season.”
The average hawksbill lifespan ranges from 30 to 50 years, with females capable of laying 100 to 150 eggs in one annual nesting season.