As part of the Year of Sustainability, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), in collaboration with The National Aquarium (TNA) and Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Center (YSWRRC), released a group of rehabilitated turtles at Jumeirah Saadiyat Island Beach. The release included green, hawksbill, and loggerhead turtles.
The National Aquarium rehabilitated 200 turtles, while YSWRRC rehabilitated 14 hawksbill turtles. The first release occurred on June 6, 2024, with notable attendees including Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of EAD, Fouad Mashal, President and Vice Chairman of Al Barakah Holding, and other key figures. A second public release was held on June 8, 2024, at Saadiyat Rotana Resort and Villas.
Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri said, “It is always exciting when we release turtles back into their natural habitat. This shows the success of our rescue and rehabilitation programmes with The National Aquarium and The Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Center.”
Fouad Mashal added, “Today is special as we return turtle number 1,000 back to the wild. This milestone marks the incredible effort by our team in rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing turtles.”
Thomas Kaferle, General Manager of SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, noted, “This achievement underscores our commitment to establishing The Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center as the region’s largest dedicated marine research, rescue, rehabilitation, and return facility.”
Since signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2020, EAD and The National Aquarium have rescued 1,067 turtles. An additional MoU with YSWRRC in 2023 led to the rescue of 23 turtles. EAD’s ongoing efforts have maintained a stable population of marine turtles in Abu Dhabi waters, crucial for the region’s marine biodiversity.
