AR
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The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) has rescued more than 200 sea turtles since January 2022. EAD ensured these commendable efforts in partnership with Wildlife Rescue Programme and The National Aquarium of Abu Dhabi (TNA), the largest aquarium in the Middle East.
Speaking about the achievement, Ahmed Al Hashmi, Executive Director, Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at EAD, said that the strategic partnership with TNA enabled the agency in rescuing and rehabilitating a number of turtles to facilitate the longevity of various turtle species found in Abu Dhabi waters
"After releasing a large majority of these turtles back into their natural habitat, our specialized research team is monitoring them on a regular basis and frequently studying their behaviour and habits," Al Hashmi noted.
As part of these efforts, the EAD rehabilitated an Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, a species rarely seen in UAE waters.
"This is a sign of the abundance of our biodiversity, which we aspire to conserve so that future generations can enjoy it for decades to come," he added.
Noting the increasing number of turtles that continue to be stranded in Abu Dhabi’s waters every year, EAD is intensifying efforts to enhance the protection and conservation of native wildlife. The Agency has further added more manpower and increased investment in building state-of-the-art facilities to reinforce its commitment to effectively and efficiently rehabilitate rescued local wildlife, with a particular emphasis on sea turtles.
Beatriz Maquieira, Curator at TNA, noted that Sea turtles are amongst the most migratory animals on the globe. The critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle and endangered Green Turtle are two of the seven marine turtle species found worldwide frequent in Abu Dhabi's waters.
"With over 5,000 sea turtles residing in Abu Dhabi and a huge number of turtles arriving on a yearly basis, we want to continue providing the finest care possible for these animals," Maquieira added.
In 2020, EAD signed an MoU with TNA to launch the Wildlife Rescue Programme, a specialised mission dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing native wildlife in Abu Dhabi. This partnership has successfully facilitated the rescue, rehabilitation and release of several species of turtles back into the Arabian Gulf, including rarely seen Loggerhead turtles and an Olive Ridley Turtle, which is the second-smallest of all sea turtles found in the world.
Last year, the partnership between EAD and TNA productively carried out the rescue and rehabilitation of 250 sea turtles, of which, 150 were released back into the ocean and three of them were satellite tagged.
Last summer and current efforts saw the rescue of more than 200 turtles. It is the strongest effort of the collaboration so far. These turtles will be released back into the Arabian Gulf as soon as possible. Before the release, recent rescues can be seen one last time at The National Aquarium.
Noting that EAD is the Middle East’s largest environmental regulator and TNA is the Middle East’s largest aquarium, the two organisations are jointly developing the Wildlife Rescue Programme as the largest of its kind in the region. The commitment displayed by the two organisations will facilitate the development of the best rehab centre for wildlife in the Middle East, with a distinct focus on sea turtles in Abu Dhabi.
SOURCE: WAM