CHAIRMAN: DR. KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: DR. KHALID MUBARAK AL-SHAFI

Qatar / General

MECC records nesting of 219 Hawksbill turtles in 2025 season

Published: 18 Jul 2025 - 09:17 am | Last Updated: 18 Jul 2025 - 09:18 am
Children during an event organised by the MECC at Fuwairit Beach.

Children during an event organised by the MECC at Fuwairit Beach.

The Peninsula

DOHA: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, represented by the Department of Wildlife Development, has announced the nesting of 219 female Hawksbill turtles on Qatar’s beaches and islands during the current turtle nesting season.

These nests were recorded across eight key sites: Fuwairit, Ras Laffan, Al Ghariyah, Ras Rakan, Umm Tais, Al Maroona, Shara’awh, and Halul Island.

The Ministry emphasised that the Hawksbill turtle is one of the most critically endangered marine species globally, and that Qatar’s northern beaches are among the most significant nesting grounds for this species in the Arabian Gulf region.

As part of its ongoing conservation efforts, the Ministry organized a field visit to the nesting site at Fuwairit, with the participation of around 130 visitors from Qatar Museums, along with staff and families from Qatalum (Qatar Aluminium).

The visit offered guests a unique opportunity to witness the release of baby turtles into their natural habitat.

During the visit, environmental experts provided an overview of the turtle conservation initiative, highlighting its objectives, which include creating a safe and suitable environment for turtle nesting and reproduction along Qatar’s northern coastline.

Visitors were also introduced to the various measures being implemented to preserve marine biodiversity as part of the Ministry’s broader ecological protection strategy.