Oman's turtles face a battle for survival

Oman’s focus on its tourist industry is having an adverse effect on its turtle population, the thing many tourists travel to Oman to see, that’s according to the Environment Society of Oman. Five of the world’s seven species of turtle inhabit Oman’s waters however only 4 nest there – the green turtle, the hawksbill, the loggerhead and the Olive Ridley.

All of Oman’s turtles have been classified as endangered with the loggerhead turtle facing extinction.

The Environment Society of Oman claim that 70-80 per cent of the country’s turtle population has disappeared over the past three generations due to coastal development, plastic contamination of the seas and illegal fishing.

The peak nesting season for Oman’s turtles is between July and September but they nest all-year-round. It was noticeable last week just how few turtles were nesting and the scarcity of spotting hatchlings.