The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has made a groundbreaking announcement, revealing the sighting of a nest of green turtles, classified as endangered species, in the Capital for the first time. This rare sighting was recorded during the agency’s annual turtle survey and marine assessment and conservation programme, specifically at one of the core hawksbill turtle nesting sites in the Al Dhafra region.
While green turtles are known to inhabit Abu Dhabi’s waters, nesting activity has never been reported before this discovery. Ahmed Al Hashmi, executive director of the terrestrial and marine biodiversity sector at EAD, emphasized that the nest was found during one of the agency’s nocturnal turtle surveys.
Although Abu Dhabi’s offshore islands are recognized hawksbill turtle nesting sites, Al Hashmi noted that this discovery adds to the sporadic records of green turtle nesting behavior in the UAE and countries along the Arabian Gulf.
The majority of hawksbill and green turtles in Abu Dhabi are typically found in the waters of the Al Dhafra region, known for its extensive seagrass beds, marine algae, and coral reef habitats. While most green turtles forage extensively in these areas, previous studies have shown that they usually migrate to Oman to nest before returning to Abu Dhabi’s waters.
Nesting for green turtles usually occurs between mid-March to mid-June, with hatching taking place from mid-June to early August. Female green turtles are selective in choosing their nest sites, often spending several consecutive nights searching for an ideal spot with soft sand, away from human activity.
The unexpected sighting of the nest on an island characterized by multiple small pocket beaches highlights the importance of continued monitoring by EAD. The agency remains committed to extensive surveillance of all confirmed and potential nesting beaches to detect similar occurrences.
Abu Dhabi is home to four of the seven marine turtle species found worldwide, with a total population exceeding 6,000 individuals.