Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project rescues rare baby loggerhead

Dubai: Jumeirah’s Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project (DTRP) recently rescued a baby loggerhead turtle ‘caretta caretta’ – an extremely rare occurrence of a juvenile of this species found inside the Arabian Gulf.

According to local experts and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) records, loggerheads are not known to nest in the Arabian Gulf, and one this small could not have travelled from outside the region. The last recorded loggerhead babies rescued by the DTRP was in Abu Dhabi in 2016. While no credible evidence of foraging sites has been found in UAE waters, this discovery underscores the need for expanded monitoring to determine if loggerheads are nesting in the region.

Barbara Lang-Lenton, director of aquarium at Jumeirah Burj Al Arab and DTRP lead, noted that the discovery is a “major breakthrough” for sea turtle conservation in the region.

“While we’ve known that adult loggerhead sea turtles occasionally visit the Arabian Gulf, there has been no recorded evidence of nesting or foraging – until now.”

Lang-Lenton pointed out that finding a juvenile loggerhead of this size is a proof of the species nesting within Gulf waters.

“This follows another significant milestone last year when a green turtle nest was discovered in Abu Dhabi for the first time. Although green turtles are abundant in those waters, no green turtle nesting had ever been documented in the emirate before.”

Lang-Lenton said that such findings help to piece together a more complete picture of turtle’s presence and life cycles in the Gulf, guiding future conservation efforts.

“Sea turtles have remarkably complex biology, and there is still much to uncover about their behaviours, migration patterns, and nesting habits in this region.”

The loggerhead baby is estimated to be around seven to nine months old and was found stranded in the Jebel Ali Marine Protected Area. Like all the DTRP’s rescues, she will receive initial treatment at Jumeirah Burj Al Arab’s Aquarium, before being moved to the Turtle Rehabilitation Sanctuary located in Jumeirah Al Naseem to receive dedicated care and recover in the lagoon before being released.

The DTRP, a Jumeirah initiative, has rescued 103 sea turtles since January 1, 2025, with 2,196 released since its launch in 2004, 89 of which were monitored by satellite tracking. The DTRP has advised residents who spot stranded turtles to immediately contact the toll-free hotline on 800 Turtle (800 887853).