Photos: UAE’s Turtle Rehabilitation Project releases 14 endangered green, hawksbill loggerhead sea turtles

Jumeirah Group’s Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project released a batch of 14 endangered green, hawksbill and loggerhead sea turtles from its Jumeirah Al Naseem beach.

Under the watchful eye of the group’s marine specialists including director of Aquarium at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Barbara Lang-Lenton Arrizabalaga as well as project ambassador Shaikh Fahim bin Sultan bin Khalid Al Qasimi, the animals were released having been rescued, nurtured and rehabilitated over an extensive period of medical care and recovery.

Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan bin Khalid Al Qasimi, programme ambassador, releases rehabilitated turtles into the ocean.

Representatives from Dubai Municipality, Dubai Falcon Hospital, Dubai Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Emirates Nature – WWF and Abu Dhabi Environment Agency, as well as educational bodies, marine biologists, media representatives and in-house guests also participated in the heart-warming event, celebrating and showing their support for these magnificent creatures.

Sand art drawn in the sand before releasing the rehabilitated turtles into the ocean at an event held by the Jumeriah Group and Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project (DTRP).

Children learn more about the importance of rehabilitation of turtles before releasing the rehabilitated turtles.

To support ongoing conservation efforts, three of the larger turtles were fitted with top-of-the-range satellite transmitters, donated by Al Qasimi to track and capture key data. The resulting information will help the team to measure the success of its rehabilitation process and better understand the biology of these migratory species, in addition to offering up further educational opportunities. In addition, all turtles were fitted with microchips so that they can be traced back to the project if found at any time after their release.

The event was particularly poignant for Al Qasimi, as earlier in the year he had rescued the large green sea turtle that he had discovered entangled in fishing line during a free-diving trip. Al Qasimi named her Farah and worked closely with the team in her recovery. “Having seen first-hand the damage that can be done to sea turtles, I am extremely proud to act as an Ambassador for the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project and the important work they do in nursing these precious animals back to health and returning them to their natural habitat,” he said.

Released alongside Farah was a large 50-year-old green turtle named ‘Jumeirah’ in honour of the UAE’s upcoming Golden Jubilee, and the district that has grown and prospered with it. “This turtle is the perfect embodiment of two landmark achievements - two thousand turtles to be successfully rehabilitated and released and the celebration of fifty years of the UAE. It is amazing to think that ‘Jumeirah’ was born at the same time as our great nation and I wish that both continue to thrive alongside each other,” he added.

Both Green turtles were fitted with the trackers, in addition to a loggerhead which was named Nacar – meaning Mother of Pearl – by the public after a social media competition across Jumeirah Group’s channels. “Our job at the Dubai Turtle rehabilitation project is not only to provide critical care and aid in the rehabilitation of injured and sick turtles in the UAE, but also to advance our knowledge of their behaviour, navigation routes and feeding territories,” said Barbara Lang-Lenton Arrizabalaga director of Aquarium at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. “Satellite tagging of our rehabilitated turtles is a crucial part of the work we do, enabling us to gather and share data with other global organisations to aid in our understanding of these majestic, endangered species, so we can better protect them in the first place.”

Turtles make their way back to their natural habitat after rehabilitation at a turtle release event in Dubai.