The Arabian Gulf is home to rich biodiversity including the second largest population of dugongs on Earth, critically endangered hawksbill and endangered green and loggerhead turtles, as well as over 25 species of sharks. However, with species numbers in decline, vital habitats like coral reefs and seagrass beds disappearing, and fish stocks being pushed to the limit, there is an urgent need for better marine  planning and management to ensure marine ecosystems can continue to function and remain resilient in the long term. 

Marine turtles play crucial role in maintaining the health of the world?s oceans . Green turtles are one of the very few animals to eat seagrass. By doing so, they help maintain the health of the marine environment. Sea grass is vital to many species of fish, shellfish and crustaceans. Without healthy seagrass beds, many marine species could be lost, which would also impact an important food source for us all.  There is a lot at stake as worldwide, around 1 billion people rely on marine fish as a main source of protein.

As one of the efforts to conserve endangered marine species, such as marine turtles, and critical habitats in the UAE , the Emirates Wildlife Society in association with the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (EWS-WWF), is marking World Biodiversity Day on May 22 by launching a ground breaking scientific research project - The Gulf Green Turtle Conservation Project - with the ultimate aim of conserving endangered marine species and critical habitats in the UAE and wider region. 

Over the course of the next four years the team of marine experts will gather scientific data on green turtle migration and mating patterns in order to identify critical marine habitats in need of protecting. The research includes tagging green turtles with satellite transmitters in various nesting and foraging sites across the region, obtaining small tissue samples (DNA) from the turtles which will then be analysed to detect linkages between feeding and nesting populations and finally, performing a laparoscopy on adult-sized turtles to provide ground breaking data on population connectivity important for the conservation of green turtle populations in the long-term.

Turtles and their marine habitat remain threatened. This is due to human activities including: modification or loss of nesting beaches, habitat degradation and loss caused by pollution, climate change and coastal development that are putting increased pressure on marine turtles. This research  aims to highlight the impact all sectors of society are having on marine environment and hope to inspire individuals, businesses and governments to take action. 

 The Gulf Green Turtle Conservation Project is designed to provide robust scientific data from which strategies can be designed to address threats to marine species, rather than solely focusing on fragmented national and local actions that do not benefit highly migratory species such as turtles and marine wildlife.

Source : The Gulf Today