43 rehabilitated sea turtles return to the sea in Abu Dhabi

At Saadiyat Beach on 15 October, 43 sea turtles crossed the sand and slipped back into the Arabian Gulf. For the people watching, it was the end of a long process. For the turtles, it was a second chance.

The release was carried out by The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi (TNA) together with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD). It is the latest chapter in the Wildlife Rescue Programme the two organisations run together. Since it began, the programme has rescued, rehabilitated and released more than 1,800 sea turtles.

What set this release apart was its range. The group took in almost every stage of a sea turtle’s life. There were 10 Hawksbill hatchlings, small enough to sit in the palm of a hand. Next to them were five sub-adult and adult Hawksbills, and 28 Green Sea Turtles.

Each one had come through TNA’s care. Some were rescued, some were treated, and all were watched closely until the team was confident they were ready to survive on their own.

The stakes are high. Hawksbill Sea Turtles are listed as critically endangered worldwide, and Green Sea Turtles are endangered. For species under that kind of pressure, every healthy animal returned to the sea counts.

A release is the part the public sees. Most of the work happens long before it, out of sight.

“Seeing these turtles return to the wild is the moment everyone works towards, but it represents months of care that most people never see,” says Paul Hamilton, General Manager of The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi.

Every turtle that reaches the aquarium arrives with its own history and its own needs. Rehabilitation is never one-size-fits-all. “Every animal comes to us with a different story and different needs, and the goal is always to give them the best possible chance of returning to the sea,” Hamilton explains.

The October release also marked six years of rescue, rehabilitation and release work by TNA and EAD. Over that time, the partnership has grown into one of the emirate’s most important efforts to care for marine wildlife that cannot yet survive alone.

For the team, sending 43 turtles back to the sea at once carried particular meaning. “Releasing 43 turtles together is a very special moment for our team and reflects six years of work alongside the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi,” Hamilton says.

As the last of the turtles disappeared beyond the shoreline, the job was complete for this group, and the team turned back to the animals still in their care, waiting for their own turn to go home.

At a glance