Rehabilitated sea turtles released after being rescued off UAE’s east coast

Detailed summary

Fifteen green sea turtles have been released off Sharjah’s east coast after undergoing up to a year of rehabilitation for illness or injury.Tracking devices were attached to the…

Fifteen green sea turtles have been released off Sharjah’s east coast after undergoing up to a year of rehabilitation for illness or injury.

Tracking devices were attached to the reptiles before they were set free in the Al Qurm Protected Area.

The turtles were rescued and restored to health through the Sharjah Strandings Response Programme run by the Environment and Protected Areas Authority, which also rescues seabirds, sea snakes, dolphins, porpoises and other marine life.

Fadi Yaghmour, a scientific researcher and conservation specialist with the EPAA, described animal releases as “the best part of the job”.

“It’s always rewarding,” he said. “We have had cases where animals were injured from boat strikes. They had external injuries on their carapace [shell] that were consistent with collision with marine vessels or propeller cuts.

“We also treated several turtles with amputated flippers – injuries that were directly linked to entanglement.

“In many cases, even a small piece of rope or fishing line can constrict a flipper, cut off circulation, and ultimately lead to the loss of the limb.”

Most of the species were picked up, however, because they were diseased or exhausted, perhaps after migrating. Research has shown that green sea turtles that forage in UAE waters migrate to nesting sites in Oman.

The releases were carried out late last month after the animals had spent between six months and a year undergoing rehabilitation.

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