Turtle conservation programme starts Saturday
Hawksbill sea turtle’s global population has declined 80 per cent over last 100 years
Abu Dhabi: Conservationists in Abu Dhabi are invited to support critically endangered Hawksbill sea turtles as part of a protection programme called Turtle Patrol, which starts on Saturday along Saadiyat’s beaches.
NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Community Outreach in partnership with Jumeriah at Saadiyat Island Resort, seeks to identify and protect turtle nests along the beaches under the supervision of the island’s resident marine biologist Emily Armstrong.
Patrols invite all members of the local community to get involved in daily beach patrols during the nesting season from March to August. Patrollers will search for signs of turtle activity, as all nests and movements need to be recorded, protected, and occasionally relocated.
The Hawksbill Sea Turtle’s global population has declined by 80 per cent over the past century. One of their major nesting sites, predominantly during the spring and summer season, is situated on the shores of the UAE.