Turtle Heroes

(My article on environmental awareness for the 28th edition of ChitChat, Jumeirah International official colleague publication)

Three of seven existing species of sea turtles in the world are critically endangered. Marine turtles worldwide are struggling in the face of number of environmental threats from long-line fishing, shrimp nets that ensnare loggerhead turtles to coastal construction and pollution, including mercury poisoning. Poaching sea turtle eggs and leather is often an ongoing problem.

Thankfully, a bunch of turtle heroes from the BAA Aquarium Team, the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Center has ensured that sea turtles will now have a new lease of life.

Over the last 3 ½ months the team has received an incredible 351 sick hawksbills and 10 green turtles. Warren Baverstock, Aquarium Operations manager said that the great number of turtles recovered during this winter period was a combination of cooler sea temperatures, high winds and rougher seas experienced during this time of the year. He also mentioned that through Jumeirah’s education and awareness efforts, more people knew just who to contact and what to do if they found a sea turtle washed up on the beach. Remarkably, thanks to Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Madinat Jumeirah and Wild Wadi colleagues, Jumeirah managed to recover 51 turtles off our own beaches – a truly great effort which we should all be proud of.

Currently the center operates two Turtle Rehabilitation Enclosures at The Wharf and Al Muna Restaurants located in the Mina A’ Salaam’s waterways where sick turtles carry out their final stages of recovery, before they are released back to the sea.
The enclosures provides a close encounter to these exquisitely graceful creatures, flapping gently beneath the clear lagoon water in search for food, their wizened faces close enough at times to touch – a magical encounter.

It also features info boards and leaflets for guests which provides information on feeding and talking times, the work of the Turtle Center and Jumeirah role in shaping ecological-consciousness among colleagues and visitors. Here, guests will have the opportunity to take a journey through the life cycles of sea turtles, learning where they live, how they nest, what they eat and what threats they face.

If there is a picture that portrays serenity -- it would be a turtle’s gentle strokes of their flippers as they glide along in their silent tranquil aqua world.

(The 24 hour contact number if you find a sick or injured turtle – call for the BAA Aquarium specialists on 04-301 7198 or email baaaquarium@jumeirah.com Join and support the projects efforts through Facebook. www.facebook.com/turtle.rehabilitation