• Five out of the seven marine turtle species around the world are listed as Endangered.
  • A female turtle can lay up to 120 eggs in one nest and can nest up to 3-4 times in one season.
  • This project is currently tracking 75 female Hawksbill turtles from UAE, Oman, Qatar and Iran.
  • Fishermen can now use turtle excluder devices to prevent accidental capture of marine turtles.

In 2010 EWS-WWF launched the regional Marine Turtle Conservation Project due to the significant threats marine turtles face, their declining population status and the overall lack of turtle data for the Gulf.

This 3-year research project aims to implement a comprehensive research programme through satellite tracking technology to understand the post nesting migrations and biology of Hawksbill turtles (listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List), identify their foraging grounds and ultimately promote conservation of marine turtles in the Gulf region. This will in turn guide the development of effective conservation policies and plans to protect the areas that are essential for their survival. To achieve the project objectives, EWS-WWF is engaging with numerous stakeholders in the region.

A key element of the project is raising awareness to the public. This is envisioned to be achieved through the development of this website which is dedicated to the project, as well as various educational and outreach events.