* 15,799 young turtles released from protected Fuwairit beach site between 2016 and 2019
* 92 nests moved to protected site on Fuwairit beach so far this year

Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), has participated in the celebration of World Turtle Day which falls on May 23 every year.

Represented by the Department of Protection and Wildlife in the Environmental Affairs Sector, the MME affirmed that it "attaches great importance to protecting endangered turtles by monitoring rare wild and marine species as a national wealth of the State and for future generations, and making efforts to protect and develop them", the official Qatar News Agency reported.

The ministry said the International Union for Conservation of Nature included the Hawksbill sea turtle among endangered species in 1982. Qatar started its protection efforts early by announcing the project to protect the Hawksbill turtle in 2003.

It noted that the project to protect Hawksbill sea turtle is one of the pioneering projects in the protection of marine species threatened with extinction in the country, pointing out that it is being held under the supervision of the MME, funded by Qatar Petroleum and implemented by Environmental Science Center at Qatar University (QU).

The project has achieved great success until now as 15,799 young turtles were released from the protected Fuwairit beach site between 2016 and 2019, the MME said.

The project aims to preserve the endangered Hawksbill turtle at places along the northern coast of Qatar, such as Ras Laffan, Huwaila, Al Jassassia, Al Marwanah, Fuwairit, Al Ghariyah and Al Mufeer, as well as on islands like Umm Tis, Rukn, Sheraa and Halul.



Under the supervision of a group of experts and specialists from the Department of Protection and Wildlife at the MME, relevant studies are carried out on Fuwairit beach in co-operation with a team from the Environmental Sciences Center at QU.

Nesting operations have been expedited over the past weeks with 92 nests being moved to the protected site on Fuwairit beach so far this year, the MME adds. The nesting season continues until the middle of June.


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