Turtles are in a soup. Why we need to fish 'em out of it now

Dubai - Hawksbill turtles are an endangered species. They've held that status for a while. A Brit expat in Abu Dhabi wakes up at 5.30 am to patrol the nesting sites of these creatures on Saadiyat Island

This is that time of year when Arabella Willing has her eyes peeled for her special guests. The five star property in Abu Dhabi where she works is all spruced up to welcome the VVIPS who could arrive any day, this month. These distinct beings are likely to drop in without notice - and they do so more than once or twice in a year, as has been their practice in previous years. This unpredictability is vexing, but not to a pro, like Willing. She is, instead, excited; so excited, that this British expat wakes up at the crack of dawn every day and reports for duty.
"Waking up at 5.30 is no longer a problem for me. It is worth it because every time I see them, it is like magic," says Willing. So, who are these extraordinary guests who are Willing to have someone wait upon them hand and foot? If you have already whipped up the name of a tantrum-throwing celebrity, Nope. You are wrong. We are talking about Hawksbill Turtles, the critically endangered species to swim the blue oceans. The pristine nine-kilometre stretch of sand at Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi is one their nesting sites in the UAE. And as the resident Marine Biologist at Park Hyatt Resort and Villas, Willing drives the turtle conservation and nesting habitat protection at the beach. "The nesting season begins in April and lasts till August. I have to monitor and patrol the beaches every morning to check whether the mother turtles had come and nested," said Willing who moved to the UAE in 2013.
But it is not that simple. If you remember your marine biology lessons, you will know that the female turtle always comes back home to nest - after traversing thousands of miles through the oceans throughout her childhood and adolescence till she reaches adulthood at the age of 30. In what could beat even the most efficient GPS tracking system in the world, turtles will use the gravitational vibrations they imprinted in their brains to track their way back to the same beach where they was born.
"At the most, we have around two or three turtles that will come for nesting. The maximum number of turtles we have recorded at this beach in the previous years was 11," said Willing.
Considering there are only an estimated 8000 nesting female turtles in the world - of which 50-to-200 are in the Arabian Sea - the ones expected to arrive on Saadiyat are, no doubt, special. And should be treated so. The onus is on Willing to make the Park Hyatt beach a safe place to nest when turtles arrive, invariably at night time. And the hotel does it by restricting beach access at night, by changing all light bulbs to red so that turtles, who follow the white moonlight by instinct, don't get confused with while lights, by banning all night parties on the beach and by having a raised boardwalk to save the nests from getting disturbed or trampled.
These are among the environmental guidelines that the Tourism Development & Investment Company has implemented on all beach properties on Saadiyat. "The dwindling turtle population in the world is a matter of concern for the scientific community. There are lots of pressures on these species that cause their decline. The coral reefs they feed on are depleting. On top of that, habitat loss, getting trapped in fishing nests, or swallowing plastic that is floating in the ocean are other reasons threatening their extinction in the near future," said Willing. "Their rate of survival is very low. Hence the female turtles who come here to nest are those who have really fought it out and survived for 30 years to reproduce."
If they have enough fat, they will nest three or four times a year. Each nest will have more than 100 eggs and 80 per cent of the eggs hatch.
"Now I am waiting to spot the first nests of the season. During my early morning patrols on the beach, I will be able to see the amazing sights of baby turtles finding their way onto the beach after hatching," said Arabella. And, when they ultimately come back after 30 years to the same beach, Willing is hopeful her children or grandchildren even, will be fortunate enough to see them.
anjana@khaleejtimes.com
Anjana is a humanist. The clutter on her desk is no reflection of her state
 

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