ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – A baby sea turtle was thrown into the ocean when it flipped over and was swept back to shore by the strong waves. He tried again, this time swimming faster into the Persian Gulf into a string of beachside tourist resorts.
Scientists hope the turtle will return to its natural habitat, joining the nearly 500 sea turtles that have been rescued, rehabilitated and released since the Abu Dhabi Environmental Protection Agency launched a program to help distressed turtles three years ago. Climate change and other matters.
According to a report released in early June, members of the agency’s wildlife rescue program, along with the community, removed about 80 turtles to the water’s edge. Many were wearing satellite tracking equipment to help scientists better understand migration patterns and the success of rehabilitation efforts.
Historically, turtles were hunted for their meat and eggs, and their shells were used for jewelry. But many artificial factors a Reduction in all seven sea turtle species.
“We see issues such as plastic pollution, shipwrecks, entanglement of nets and coastal development, which reduces the size of the nest’s habitat,” said Hind Al-Ameri, an assistant environmental scientist. Agency Abu Dhabi.
Climate change is a major contributor, researchers say.
Warm oceans It damages coral reefs., which turtles need to survive, and changing tides to expose turtles to new predators. Sea level rise reduces the beaches where the turtles nest and lay their eggs.
Abu Dhabi is not the only agency in the emirate focused on helping sea turtles. Emirates Nature-WF launched a pair of marine conservation initiatives a decade ago, studying the behavior of hawksbill and green turtles in the region.
and the Dubai turtle rehabilitation project For two decades, he has been helping sick and injured sea turtles, rehabilitating more than 2,000 turtles and returning them to the Persian Gulf.
Scientists say they have seen evidence that sea turtles are adapting to climate change.
The sex of the turtle is influenced by the temperature at which the eggs develop, and warmer temperatures increase the ratio of female turtles. Al-Ameri says that the conditions in the United Arab Emirates are so hot that the male population must be degraded – but it is healthy and fertile.
“So it gives us a better understanding of why our species existed and what that means in terms of climate change, and whether or not turtles can adapt to climate change in the future,” she said.
How the planet can limit global warming and its harmful effects on sea turtles and the rest of the world will be widely discussed when Dubai hosts the event in November. The next United Nations climate change conference.
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