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DUBAI: The Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project released on Friday 15 hawksbill and six green turtles into the Arabian Gulf in an event that coincided with World Sea Turtle Day 2023.
The project, launched by Jumeirah Group, comes as part of Dubai’s ongoing commitment to marine biodiversity and ecosystems, reported the Emirates News Agency.
The release of the two species, both of which are endangered, underscores the vital role turtles play in maintaining the balance of marine habitats.
The Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project mainly focuses on the conservation of the hawksbill turtle, a critically endangered species that annually nests along the Gulf coast.
Jumeirah Group’s CEO Katerina Giannouka said that, with many of Jumeirah’s resorts being coastal, “we witness first-hand the impact of climate change on precious marine species and these delicate ecosystems.
“Coastal resilience and biodiversity health are critical to Jumeirah as a business … We have an obligation to act now, to educate, to collaborate, and to champion progress toward a sustainable future for all.”
Among the successfully rehabilitated turtles were one large female green turtle, which had suffered carapace damage due to a boat strike, and a male hawksbill turtle named Zippy.
Zippy was rescued by DTRP in October 2022 after being found in bad shape floating near the Ras Al-Khaimah shoreline. He had suffered intestinal impaction from eating plastic debris and a severe lung infection and was completely covered in barnacles.
Government representatives, academia and non-governmental organizations attended Friday’s event. Representatives from Yas Sea World Research and Rescue, which performed a CT scan on Zippy at the start of his remarkable rehabilitation journey, were also present.
“With such a limited number of these turtles left, it is essential to ensure that every one of them can fulfill its role in maintaining population numbers. It was critical for us to release our adult sea turtles as soon as they fully recovered,” said Barbara Lang-Lenton Arrizabalaga, director of the aquarium at Burj Al-Arab.
She added that they have already released several turtles this season, and “we can see from our satellite tagging program that some of these animals have traveled to their nesting sites.
“As beach temperatures rise due to climate change, the sex ratio of sea turtles is shifting toward a higher number of females being born. The reintroduction of a fully grown male hawksbill turtle like Zippy marks a significant milestone for sea turtle conservation in the UAE and globally,” added Arrizabalaga.
The satellite tagging program has helped the team successfully trace the journey of a rescued olive ridley turtle, which are occasionally encountered in UAE waters, back to crucial nesting sites for the species in India.
Previous data has also shown a green turtle migrating as far as Thailand, demonstrating the importance of rehabilitation and release in maintaining sea turtle populations worldwide.
“The goal is to ensure that turtles receive the best care possible. Building inter-emirate cooperation across the UAE’s scientific communities, rescue centers and government entities enables us to undertake a mutually beneficial cooperation in sea turtle rehabilitation, research, and habitat restoration,” concluded Arrizabalaga.
The project also runs an educational program for school groups to learn more about the work undertaken by DTRP.