63 Hawksbill Turtle Nests Spotted At Sir Bu Nair Island Reserve

63 Hawksbill turtle nests spotted at Sir Bu Nair Island Reserve

SHARJAH, (Pakistan Point News - 08th Apr, 2020) About 63 Hawksbill turtle nests have been spotted at the Sir Bu Nair Island Reserve in Sharjah.

The turtles reportedly arrived on 12th March and are expected to lay their eggs until the end of May, said the Sir Bu Nair Marine Research Centre of the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah in a press release issued on Wednesday.

Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairperson of the Environment and Protected Areas Authority, said that the Authority undertook several initiatives and programmes that received local and international approval, after this turtle species was being threatened.

Some of the factors that pose a threat to them include capturing their eggs for sale, trading their meat and some other reasons, including environmental pollution and climate change.

Al Suwaidi said, "The emirate of Sharjah has always been a pioneer in providing protection for endangered animals, particularly as the Hawksbill turtles are listed as critically endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species."

She added that the Authority's efforts in preserving the Hawksbill turtles began nearly 10 years ago, including conducting research and studies focusing on their lifestyle, behaviour and nutrition. In 2016, the authority monitored a group of turtles and documented all the data based on its study.

The nesting sites of these turtles are far away from human settlements as they thrive on soft, sandy terrains. Therefore, Sir Bu Nair Island provides an excellent environment for reproduction and living, especially since the island is considered one of the most significant reserves for wildlife, water, animals and plants in the Gulf and around the world.

These turtles were distinguished due to their falcon-like beak with a pointed and sharp edge, with orange, yellow or red spots.

A Hawksbill turtle lays some 90 to 110 eggs and produces between two and seven nests per season, with the hatching process taking between 50 and 70 days.

Sir Bu Nair Island Reserve is internationally acclaimed and included in the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance because of its diverse offerings. The reserve is also listed on the UNESCO’s preliminary listing of World Heritage sites, and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the protection and management of marine turtles in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia, said the press release.