Sea turtles

Sea turtles that travel thousands of miles each year make their presence felt in the waters of Fujairah. In recent years, the population of sea turtles in the area has begun bouncing back, thanks in part to rising environmental awareness as more people are becoming conscious of their actions and realizing that we all share in the responsibility of taking care of Mother Earth. Sea turtles happen to be one of the most commonly recognized threatened animals.

Here are seven species of sea turtles that roam our oceans namely the Green, Kemp’s Ridley, Hawksbill, Leatherback, Loggerhead, Olive Ridley, and the Flatback.

These amazing marine creatures come from a long line of ancient ancestors that have survived the test of time; however human activities are threatening their ability to survive.

Habitat destruction, poaching, global warming, pollution, and accidental entanglement are responsible for the dwindling population of these beautiful animals but it’s not too late to do something about it. You can still protect them by making a positive difference in your area through the following easy steps:

1. Reduce plastic waste – Avoid single-use plastics such as straws, plastic bags, disposable plastic food containers, plastic take-out utensils, and so on. Many of this garbage that ends up in landfills and finds its way to the ocean may cause marine animal injury or death. A good way to minimize plastic waste is by recycling and using reusable versions of commonly used plastic items (reusable stainless steel straws, eco bags, reusable food containers, and stainless steel utensils).
2. Turn out lights visible from the beach – Artificial lights can discourage an adult female turtle from nesting on the beach and it can confuse hatchlings to head inland instead of the ocean. To prevent these from happening, you can either shield, redirect or lower the intensity of your lights within your property.
3. Avoid nesting and hatching sites – The presence of too many people, with their flashlights and not to mention the noise that they create can easily disturb nesting females and baby turtles. Make sure that you give nesting places plenty of space and be aware of hatching areas to avoid trampling over hatchlings as they make their way to the water.
4. Reduce the use of chemicals – The chemicals that you use in your household such as chemical cleaners can wash into the coastal waters and kill marine flora and fauna.  Promote the use of biodegradable cleaners that are both safe to humans, plants, and animals but if you cannot avoid the use of certain chemicals, make sure that you dispose of them properly.
5. Volunteer to clean up the ocean and the beach – You can help the environment by simply picking up trash that you see along the beach and disposing of them properly. You can also participate in clean up programs in your area like what  Nemo Diving Center does.

These are just a handful of ideas but there are plenty of other ways to help the growing problems in our oceans that threaten marine life. It doesn’t matter how small your contribution is; as long as we all do something, we can help make a big difference.

Article from Nemo Diving Center

Images: Fujairah Observer Archive