Nine in 10 dead turtles had plastic in stomach, Dubai authorities say

Dubai and Abu Dhabi have plans to ban single-use plastic bags

A green sea turtle that lost a flipper when it became caught in marine debris, at the Khor Kalba Conservation Reserve in Kalba, on the UAE's east coast. All photos: AP Photo

Three quarters of green turtles and more than half of loggerhead turtles found dead in Sharjah had eaten marine debris, including plastic bags, bottle caps, rope and fishing nets, says a study published in the 'Marine Pollution Bulletin'.

Plastic discovered in an autopsy on a dead turtle. The study documents the damage caused by a surge in discarded plastic and other debris in the world's seas.

No plastic was found in the bodies of turtles in the only previous Gulf of Oman study, in 1985. 'When the majority of sea turtles have plastics in their bodies, you know you have a significant problem,' said Fadi Yaghmour, a marine expert who carried out the study.

Debris found inside dead turtles in Sharjah. One turtle had 325 shards, another 32 pieces of fishing net. They can cause blockages that prevent the animals from eating.

The study found that green sea turtles were inclined to eat drifting plastic bags and ropes, which resemble their diet of cuttlefish and jellyfish. Loggerheads ate bottle caps and other small pieces of hard plastic mistaken for marine invertebrates. The youngest turtles ate the most plastic.

Conservationists in the UAE are seeking to protect the country’s turtles from the threats. Community officers respond to reports of turtles in distress and rescue the reptiles for rehabilitation. 'If we lose these turtles, the ecosystem will die,' said Abdulkarim Vettan operational manager at Al Qurum Mangrove Centre in Kalba.

Related: Heartbreaking video shows baby camel chewing plastic in Abu Dhabi desert

The consumption of plastic causes nearly 90 per cent of turtle deaths in the UAE and half of camel fatalities, the government of Dubai has said.

The figures were released as the city prepares to introduce a nominal 25 fils charge on shopping bags.

This is the first step towards phasing out single-use plastics in the next two years. Plastic use is a nationwide and regionwide issue for governments and consumers to tackle.

Our team has observed camels eating plastic

Winston Cowie,
Environment Agency Abu Dhabi

“Single-use plastic ― that is plastic we use once before throwing away — has been entering the environment where it causes harm and is a key threat to biodiversity — globally and locally," said Winston Cowie, section manager for marine policy, regulations and planning, in the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD).

"This includes single-use bottles, bags, coffee cups, straws, and cutlery, among others.”

A study into turtles rehabilitated by EAD, which had washed up on Abu Dhabi's beaches, found that about 80 per cent of the animals had ingested plastics, said Mr Cowie.

"Our team has observed camels eating plastic too," he added.

Trainers take their camels out for daily exercise in Lahbab, Dubai. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National

Camels wear blankets to keep them warm in the winter months.

Camels train on the race track.

Trainers lead their camels out into the desert.

Camels walk past a mosque on their morning exercise circuit.

Trainers keep a watchful eye on their herd.

Camels train in Dubai's desert.

Arabian camels have been domesticated for approximately 3,500 years.

They can travel up to 100 desert miles without water.

A video recorded by Mr Cowie last March showed a baby camel eating a blue plastic bag after mistaking it for food.

That followed footage taken by members of an off-road driving club, which showed the carcass of a camel found in the desert, its bones surrounded by plastic from its stomach.

A UAE study showed hundreds of camels had died since 2008 due to the consumption of plastic.

About 10 per cent of the 30,000 studied by Dubai’s Central Veterinary Research Laboratory died due to polybezoars, which are lumps of indigestible material made of plastic, the research showed.

Polybezoars can weigh up to 53kg and include plastic bags, rope and parts of plastic bottles, which accumulate over years when the animals eat the materials after mistaking them for food.

Dubai's 25-fil charge for plastic bags will apply from July 1 in shops, restaurants and pharmacies, as well as deliveries and e-commerce purchases.

It is a step towards a total ban, which will take effect within two years.

The move follows similar steps in Abu Dhabi, where plastic bags could be banned completely the end of the year.

The move had been expected to come into effect in 2020 but was put on hold by Covid-19.

“We are at the final stages of developing the regulations and are in close contact with the private sector,” said Monir Bou Ghanem, senior adviser to the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, speaking on radio station Dubai Eye.

“Single-use plastic bags are going to be completely banned and replaced by multiple-use bags.”