EAD rescued 178 Turtles since August 2022

EAD rescued 178 Turtles since August 2022

ABU DHABI, 16th June, 2023 (WAM) – The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), in partnership with The National Aquarium (TNA), released 81 turtles back into their natural habitat at Saadiyat Rotana Resort and Villas in celebration of the World Sea Turtle Day on 16th June.

The initiative is in line with the UAE's Year of Sustainability that focuses on the sustainable enhancement of natural habitats and biodiversity and minimising the effects of climate change.

The Agency announced that since the Wildlife Rescue Programme was launched in August 2020, a rescue and rehabilitation programme developed in collaboration with TNA, a total number of 800 turtles have been rescued and a total number of 500 have been released. Since August of last year a total number of 178 turtles have been rescued and a total number of 81 have been released so that they can grow and reproduce, ensuring an increase in their numbers.

Rehabilitation programme

Stranded turtles are rescued by a team of scientists from EAD and the TNA, which first checks their health and then investigates how the turtles were stranded. Depending on the turtle’s health diagnosis, a rehabilitation programme is initiated until they are fully recovered. Once the sea water temperatures are