The Environment Society of Oman (ESO) has signed two agreements with Oman Oil Company and Port of Duqm, for supporting the conservation of marine turtles on the Masirah Island in Oman.

The project will gather information on nesting data, build the capacity of the ESO's field assistants and educate the local community about the importance of turtles in maintaining Oman's environment. 

The Sultanateof Oman is one of the world's most important thriving habitats for marine turtles. Masirah Island is the world's largest population of nesting loggerhead turtles and also acts as a nesting ground for other species including green, olive ridley and hawksbill turtles. All the four species of turtles in the island have been classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The ESO participates in many collaborative global research projects improving the understanding of turtles living in Oman's coastal waters.

ESO, which has been studying sea turtles on Masirah Island since 2008, has strengthened its work on long-term monitoring programmes about sea turtles by taking on these two new partners. In addition to using the conservation professionals, the partnership will tap the power of volunteerism

Mulham Al Jarf, deputy CEO of Oman Oil Company, said, "In line with the OOC's corporate sustainability objectives, the project will empower communities to actively participate in preserving the environment. The OOC continues to invest in building Oman's future and remains committed to supporting the country's sustainable social and environmental development.