In line with the Year of Sustainability, the Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi (EAD), in partnership with The National Aquarium (TNA) and The Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Center (YSWRRC) has released a group of Green, Hawksbill and Loggerhead rehabilitated turtles into their natural habitats, via the beach at Jumeirah Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi. The National Aquarium oversaw the rehabilitation of 200 turtles while the YSWRRC rehabilitated a group of 14 Hawkbill turtles.
The first release of the turtles took place on 6th June. On 8th June there was a second release that was attended by the general public and held at Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas that involved a series of fun activations.
The release of the turtles is a culmination of the rescue and rehabilitation programme of EAD in collaboration with The National Aquarium since a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in 2020 with a total of 1067 turtles being rescued. EAD also signed an MoU with YSWRRC in 2023, rescuing a group of 23 turtles.
EAD has been researching, monitoring and protecting marine turtles in Abu Dhabi since 1999 and has succeeded in maintaining a stable population in Abu Dhabi waters. There are four main marine turtle species in Abu Dhabi – both Green Turtles and Hawksbills frequent the emirate’s waters, while Olive Ridley and Loggerheads are occasional visitors.
Decades of research by EAD indicate that several turtles can show signs of cold stunning – a condition in which sea turtles become very weak and inactive from exposure to cold temperatures and therefore become lethargic and are eventually unable to swim causing them to float on the surface of the water. In some cases, cold stunning can also lead to a build-up of barnacles on their shells, which hampers the turtle’s ability to move, hence EAD’s keenness to save them, nurture them back to life and then release them back into their habitats.
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