Sharjah authority studies turtle migration in Gulf of Oman

The authority attached tracking devices to the turtles to gather data on their movements

An environmentalist holding a green sea turtle before releasing it into the sea. Courtesy Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas

A group of rare turtles were released into the sea at Kalba Conservation Reserve in Sharjah after their diets were studied for three years.

Researchers at Sharjah’s Environment and Protected Areas Authority attached tracking devices to 14 endangered green sea turtles before releasing them into the Gulf of OMan.

The devices will provide valuable information necessary for the turtles' protection. The data will also help with analysing how suitable the Gulf of Oman is as a habitat for the turtles.

Previous research revealed that some green sea turtles have nested in areas close to the mangroves. Hatchlings were found feeding in the area when the nesting site was discovered in 2012.

“EPAA is keen to protect various species from extinction, and the protection of green sea turtles is among its strategies,” said Hana Al Suwaidi, the authority’s chairperson.

She said green sea turtles are rarely found in the Arabian Gulf and not “much [is known] about their behaviour, nesting, migration and feeding patterns.

“We held discussions with the World Wildlife Fund and Emirates Wildlife Society to conduct the study in order to learn more about the diets and lifestyles of green sea turtles at mangroves conservation in Kalba.”

“The study will add value to wildlife research in the UAE and the GCC countries,” she said.

The research showed that mangroves in the emirate support wildlife and biodiversity. They also provide a suitable environment for sea turtles.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment revealed a three-year plan for the conservation of marine turtles last year.

The country aims to expedite local laws to protect turtles and rehabilitate and preserve their habitats.

There are 15 marine protected areas in the UAE which span more than 12 per cent of the country’s territorial waters.

The hawksbill turtle, loggerhead turtle, and green turtle have settled in the UAE, while the leatherback turtle and olive ridley sea turtle are migratory species.

Of the seven species of turtles found in the world’s oceans, five can be found in the UAE. All seven are listed on the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a global conservation body working to preserve wildlife and nature.