United Arab Emirates: Meet the volunteers behind Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island turtle patrol – News

Spanning eight kilometers of white sands and blue waters, Saadiyat Beach is one of the most magical natural places in the United Arab Emirates. Home to critically endangered hawksbill turtles, Indian Ocean humpback dolphins, dugongs and more fascinating marine life, its beauty is famous around the world.

However, less is said about the local volunteers who work to protect this precious wildlife oasis.

While the rest of the city sleeps, the Saadiyat Island Turtle Patrol walks the beach every morning before dawn to look for signs of nesting turtles and rescue those that are sick and stranded.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp channels.

Lead volunteers

Initially started by Emirates Nature-WWF leading figure Arabella Willing and then Emily Armstrong, former marine and environmental manager at Jumeirah Saadiyat Island Resort, the group is now run by three volunteers, each of whom have full-time jobs.

Helping organize the weekly program and manage the 90 member strong group of volunteers.

Harb, a member of the turtle patrol for six years, lives in Hidd Al Saadiyat. Originally from Honduras and resident in the United Arab Emirates for 28 years, she joins the patrol most mornings:

“We divided into groups and traveled about two kilometers each. Walking the beach at high tide is a lot of work, especially during the hotter months. However, it is my way of taking my daily steps and giving back to the community.”

More followers

Made up of residents of Saadiyat Island, students from New York University Abu Dhabi and people from the rest of Abu Dhabi, the patrol is also supported by the hotels that line Saadiyat Beach, including Jumeirah Saadiyat Island Resort, Saadiyat Beach Club and Saadiyat Rotana Resort. and Villas, The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi and Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island.

Harb shared, “During the winter months we encounter many stranded juvenile hawksbill turtles that are weak, sick, and covered in barnacles.”

“The hotels allow us to patrol their stretches of beach and also collect injured turtles for us and call them to the Abu Dhabi National Aquarium or the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD); both organizations are our rescue partners. The turtles are then rehabilitated before being released during the summer months. All our efforts are carried out under the supervision of Dr. Hind Alameri, EAD Marine Conservation Scientist,” he added.

Rescuing sick turtles

Harb and the other leaders train volunteers on what to look for during patrols, and also educate beach lifeguards, security teams and beach cleaners about turtle conservation. He noted: “The nesting and hatching season is from March to July. We almost never see turtles nesting, but looking for tracks shows us where the nests are located.”

“The beach cleaners from the Emarat Aloula Group are the first to arrive on the beach in the morning and help us by protecting the nests with red cones. They get very excited every time they find one. Local companies ADURE, Saadiyat Security and Fibrex Construction Group also support us,” Harb added.

Turtle nest monitoring

The eggs hatch after approximately 60 days and the hatchlings begin their journey to the ocean. However, they can sometimes be confused with building lights.

“The patrol monitors the hatching process and we try to rescue those who are stranded. Last year there was a nest near Jumeirah and many of the hatchlings began returning to the hotel instead of the water. They were scattered all over the dunes and it took us a long time to find them,” Harb said.

“Bright lights can also deter nesting turtles. We ask hotels and residences to dim their lights and space out their beach chairs so that they too have space to nest,” he added.

Depending on the position of the nests, some may be at risk of flooding. The patrol works with the EAD to relocate them when necessary.

Harb shared, “A turtle can lay an average of 90 to 100 eggs each year. Only hawksbill turtles nest in Saadiyat. Sometimes we see green turtles, but they are almost always dead. “We have also seen rays in the water and species of octopus, sea snakes and even dugongs washed ashore.”

Once the nesting season ends, the patrol completes an inventory to assess how many eggs hatched successfully and how many were left unfertilized.

While most nests are located towards Hidd Al Saadiyat, others have been seen in all sorts of places.

“Two or three nests were found near the Guggenheim and at least one of them hatched. It was incredible. We coordinate with the companies that work there to protect them. Dr Hind is on our WhatsApp chat and we also continue to receive a lot of help and guidance from Arabella Willing,” Harb said.

A rewarding job

While Harb has long loved spending time at Saadiyat Beach, it wasn’t until he started patrolling and really observing his surroundings that he realized how badly human behavior is damaging the ecosystem.

“We are encroaching on this beautiful habitat, so the least we can do is take care of our local turtle population,” he said, adding: “It’s incredibly rewarding to rescue a turtle and then watch it be released back into the water for a few months.” . later. “We are always looking for new volunteers to help us.”

[ad_2]