Inside SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's rescue centre: Tackling sea snakes, turtles and warming Gulf waters

Centre reports fivefold increase in stranded sea snakes

Dr Elsburgh Octavius Clarke III, known as Dr Tres, inspects a sea turtle at the Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre. Victor Besa / The National

At Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre, routine is a myth. A single shift for the park's director of animal health and welfare, Dr Elsburgh Octavius Clarke III, known as Dr Tres, can feature snakes, sharks, sea turtles and the occasional medical puzzle that few facilities are equipped to handle.

“I call my team the UN of our park,” he says. “Thirty-two specialists from 24 countries, all bringing their expertise to protect marine life.”

Open for less than three years, the centre on Yas Island has quickly become one of the region's largest hubs for marine rescue and rehabilitation.

An adult ornate reef sea snake stranded on a beach along the Arabian Gulf, UAE. Photo: Johannes Els

Sea snakes on the rise

Public awareness is changing the numbers. So far this year, Dr Tres's team has dealt with more than 150 sea turtles, up from about 50 last year. Reports of sea snakes have risen even faster with more than 50 cases this year compared with about 10 last year. Highly venomous, sea snakes now occupy a growing share of the caseload.

The centre has worked with hotel lifeguards to train them on what to do if they find a sea snake.

“We're still learning why they're coming in,” Dr Tres told The National. Many arrive after storms or strong tides, unable to move effectively on land due to their paddle-like tail, Dr Tres said. Others present with spinal lesions that the team is investigating.

The centre co-ordinates closely with partners in the UAE and beyond – from Sharjah's coastal teams to experts in Australia – to pool data in search of patterns. “Each case is a data point about the health of the wider ecosystem,” Dr Tres told The National.

Dr Tres operates on a cormorant with an injured wing. Victor Besa / The National

Flamingos after the storm

One of the most vivid rescues followed last year's severe rain and wind that scattered a flamingo colony near Al Wathba.

The team found birds with broken legs and abandoned nests. They stabilised adult flamingos in special bird rooms, eggs were incubated and chicks were hand-reared.

“Watching those birds fledge and then return to the wild was a highlight,” Dr Tres said.

Memory Mwambala, zoo support and rescue associate, feeds a sea turtle at Sea World Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Built for critical care

The centre sits under the same roof as the theme park, but operates as a biosecure, self-contained hospital. There are more than 25 pools, lift-floor systems that raise large animals to the surface for treatment, incubators for chicks, and advanced full-spectrum lighting for long-term rehabilitation. The design reduces handling stress and allows round-the-clock care for dugongs, turtles and seabirds.

That capability has made the facility a regional referral point. When a large turtle reached Dubai's turtle rehabilitation programme with a hook embedded deep in its throat, the team contacted the centre to work together on the rescue.

Dr Tres team performed surgery to remove the hook and returned the turtle north for rehabilitation. “Species don't recognise emirate borders,” he said. “Co-operation is everything.”

Climate stress is another issue for marine life. Warming waters and rising salinity are adding to pressure. Juvenile turtles are particularly vulnerable to temperature swings.

Dr Tres checks up on the progress of sea turtles. Victor Besa / The National

Science behind the scenes

Rescue is just one half of the story. Researchers are building baselines on coral resilience, seagrass health and plankton communities – the “micro-engine” of the Gulf. They are also refining aquaculture for hammour, a type of grouper fish, and trial cultivation methods for cuttlefish. The aim is to publish practical playbooks for government and industry to reduce fishing pressure on wild stocks.

Network for the future

Beyond the UAE, the team has assisted with training and postmortem examinations in Oman, sharing protocols so local responders can act quickly. “It's about building a permanent network so every rescue adds to what we know – and every data point helps protect the Gulf,” said Dr Tres.