Sea turtle conservation project makes ecological, awareness gains across region

A dedicated rehabilitation project for sea turtles administered by Dubai’s Jumeirah Group in 2004 is reaping rich dividends today thanks to the conviction of a group of people who genuinely believe that every little drop in the ocean – and every little being – matters.

For almost two decades, this programme has been instrumental in nursing ailing and injured sea turtles back to health and releasing them into their natural habitats through collaboration with Dubai's Wildlife Protection Office, the Dubai Falcon Hospital, and the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory.

Aligned with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment’s initiatives to protect these creatures, the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project (DTRP) also educates the youth, citizens, and international hotel guests about sea turtle biology and the state of sea turtle populations locally and internationally.

The project also assists in tracking turtle movements regionally and globally through satellite technology, supporting rehabilitation assessment and research efforts.

To date, the DTRP has safely returned over 2,100 turtles to the Arabian Gulf, with annual rescue figures averaging over 100.

All seven surviving species of sea turtles are considered endangered, predominantly due to human factors such as poaching, fisheries bycatch, pollution, coastal and offshore development, and climate change. Of the species tended to in the facility, the Hawksbill, which is critically endangered due to turtle shell trading, is native to the Southern Gulf, including Dubai. Hawksbills and Green turtles are the predominant group cared for at the centre, while Loggerhead and Olive Ridley turtles are also occasionally brought in.

Hawksbills play a unique role in the broader health of coral reefs, making their protection and rehabilitation vital.

DTRP has released 75 turtles of four different species into the wild this year with satellite tags, and many of them have travelled to nesting sites.

Tagging Initiative

The DTRP’s tagging initiative also provided insights into the daunting journeys sea turtles are capable of. Dibba, one of the turtles nursed back to health by DTRP, travelled 8,300 km to reach Thailand in nine months, the first recorded case of a marine turtle migrating from the Middle East to South East Asia. Other beneficiaries of the DTRP programme have made it as far as India, Pakistan, Oman, and other Gulf countries.

“Dubai’s incessant efforts to chart a development model where sustainability and ecological responsibility are central themes is admirable, and DTRP is glad to lend support to this vision that places equal emphasis on the preservation of biodiversity while ensuring renewed participation of stakeholders from various sectors,” said Barbara Lang-Lenton, Director of Aquarium at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, who leads the DTRP.

Based at the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project places newly rescued turtles in a critical care unit at the aquarium facility as part of the first treatment phase. The turtles are then shifted to the purpose-built state-of-the-art, sea-fed rehabilitation lagoon at Jumeirah Al Naseem.

Key Barometer of Marine Ecosystems

However, alongside more than 800 other aquatic and coastal species, Sea turtles are threatened by warming seas and marine pollution. Statistics reveal that 19 to 23 million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans and other water bodies annually.

The DTRP team has also launched a dedicated toll-free hotline – 800TURTLE (800 887853). Experts are promptly dispatched to assist the animals or the caller is advised on the best way to tend to the turtle until help arrives. The vast majority of animals entering rehabilitation now come through the 800TURTLE hotline.

There is another chance for the public to be involved with the project soon as the DTRP team prepares to release 14 rehabilitated turtles back into their natural habitat on 8th November from the beach at Jumeirah Al Naseem.

An educational programme of the DTRP also fosters interactivity by allowing school groups to learn more about the work it undertakes and its importance. From last October through to April this year, over 1,700 school children from all seven emirates participated in the programme.

Data Exchange Spurs Partnerships

The DTRP also advances existing knowledge of turtle behaviour, navigation routes, and feeding territories. All turtles released into the wild are microchipped, and such tagging enables immediate detection if they get washed back onto the beaches. Satellite tags are also affixed to the shells of some of the turtles. DTRP has, to date, released 75 turtles of 4 different species with satellite transmitters.

Apart from the DTRP’s close partnership with Dubai’s Wildlife Protection Office, the Dubai Falcon Hospital, and the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, it is also in constant touch with other aquariums across the UAE, such as the Yas Sea World Research and Rescue team.

Various organisations have donated satellite tags to the DTRP, significantly enabling its work. Close coordination with government entities, NGOs, and other rescue centres in the UAE is also part of the brief for DTRP, which in 2021 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Fujairah Environment Authority and Fujairah Research Centre.

The 800TURTLE hotline is also accessible in Fujairah with callers directed to the Fujairah Research Centre to ensure prompt rescue and timely care. Conservation efforts of the Jumeirah Group are also ongoing in Abu Dhabi at Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort.