The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has announced the start of the turtle nesting season, which continues until August 1, a statement said.
Qatar places great importance on protecting endangered species as part of its national strategy through monitoring rare and endangered land and marine species, which are considered a national treasure for the country and its future generations.
The country started its efforts to protect sea turtles with the launch of the Hawksbill Sea Turtle Conservation Project in 2003, after the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified the species as endangered.
The Hawksbill Sea Turtle Conservation Project is considered one of the leading initiatives in the country for protecting endangered marine species.
It aims to safeguard the endangered Hawksbill sea turtle alongside Qatar’s northern coasts, including Ras Laffan, Huwaila, Al Jassasiya, Al Maroona, Fuwairit, Al Ghariyah, and Al Mafyar, as well as on other islands such as Umm Tais, Rukan, Shra’awa, and Halul.
The project involves relocating turtle nests to protect them from high tides, monitoring nest temperatures, equipping some turtles with tracking devices to study their habitats in Qatar and neighbouring countries, and collecting DNA samples from the turtles.
The ministry's dedicated efforts over the past years have led to the successful release of more than 35,000 baby turtles into the sea from Fuwairit Beach.
