93 baby hawksbill turtles hatch on Fujairah beach

Fujairah: Marking World Sea Turtle Day, the Fujairah Environment Authority has announced the successful hatching of 93 hawksbill turtles at Al Fuqait Reserve, underscoring ongoing efforts to protect endangered marine species and preserve coastal biodiversity.

The authority confirmed that the successful hatchlings emerged from two monitored nests on a beach within the Al Fuqait Reserve, overlooking the Royal Beach Hotel, as part of its 2026 annual sea turtle nesting season monitoring programme.

Three nests were recorded at the site in March. A specialised team from the Marine Biodiversity Department worked closely with staff from the Royal Beach Hotel to implement a coordinated protection plan aimed at safeguarding the nesting sites and ensuring optimal conditions for incubation and hatching.

Field teams documented nest locations, recorded coordinates and egg-laying dates, and established protective measures to secure the nests from environmental and human-related disturbances. Continuous coordination with hotel management ensured compliance with environmental guidelines throughout the nesting period.

To further enhance monitoring efforts, camera traps were installed and regular field inspections were conducted to track nest conditions until hatching. The process also enabled documentation of hatchlings as they emerged and made their way to the sea.

The two successfully hatched nests contained a total of 95 eggs, of which 93 hatchlings reached the sea after an incubation period of 70 to 75 days- recording a success rate of approximately 98 per cent.

Aseela Abdullah Al Mualla, Director-General of the Fujairah Environment Authority, said the results reflect the health of the emirate’s coastal ecosystems and the effectiveness of conservation and field-monitoring programmes implemented during the nesting season. She added that the outcome highlights the importance of cooperation between environmental authorities and coastal establishments in protecting marine biodiversity.

She noted that monitoring of the third nest will continue until the end of the nesting season, alongside ongoing environmental awareness initiatives and strengthened partnerships with hotels, coastal establishments, and fishermen’s associations.

The authority said the successful hatching serves as a positive indicator of national efforts to protect natural resources and endangered marine life, in line with sustainable development goals and broader strategies to conserve biodiversity and at-risk species.