A group of injured and endangered turtles were released into the ocean last month, after being rehabilitated by marine biologists at Sharjah Aquarium. The event was planned to coincide with World Turtle Day and the five hawksbill turtles were reintroduced into the wild at the Natural Reserve at Al-Hamriya Beach.
The hawksbill, one of the smaller types of sea turtles, is named for its narrow head and hawk-like beak. Although there are international conventions prohibiting the hunting and trading of sea turtles, hawksbills have had an 80 percent global loss of population in three generations. Costal development, pollution, climate change, egg harvesting at nesting beaches, injuries to fins by fishing boat propellers, and accidental capturing in fisheries, all threaten the existence of the remaining turtles.
The turtles that were released were suffering from critical injuries when members of the public spotted them and took them to the aquarium. The rehabilitation program that cares for, rescues, and releases sick and injured hawksbill and green turtles has been running for the past six years. Find out more about Sharjah Aquairum programmes through their website.
