The first Hawksbill turtle nest has been discovered by the environmental services team at the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) on Saadiyat Beach, marking the start of nesting season on the island.
Hawksbill turtles nest on a number of islands in the UAE, with Saadiyat’s deep sand beaches and natural dune system beyond the high tide line providing them with a perfect nesting habitat.
Each discovered nest will be clearly marked to ensure hotel guests, beach visitors and staff don’t disturb the turltes, with hatching expected within 50 to 70 days.
The turtles and their nests will be observed closely by TDIC’s environmental services team as part of the company’s hawksbill turtle conservation programme, the only one of its kind in the Arabian Gulf.
mswan@thenational.ae
