Desolation

I recently made a trip out to Ras Al Hadd, the eastern most tip of the Middle East, to see the Green Sea Turtles that come there to nest and lay their eggs.

Ras Al Hadd is a breathtaking coastal area ranging from beautiful white sand beaches to grand rocky cliffs overlooking the Arabian Sea. It has always been a dream of mine to observe and photograph wild Sea Turtles, and while this specific image may not capture that allure, I think it brings attention to the threats and challenges this and many other sea turtle species currently face today. The Green Sea Turtle is an endangered species that has suffered an estimated 90% population decrease over the past half century.

Some of the many threats faced by Sea Turtles globally are:

• Disorientation from light pollution, recreational activities (e.g., camping, bonfires), and driving on nesting beaches.

• Harassment of nesting turtles and hatchlings

• Coastal development and encroachment on nesting areas

• Natural predators like feral cats and foxes impacting eggs and hatchlings

• Oil and gas exploration, urban and industrial development, and shipping pose threats

• Fisheries bycatch, including both small-scale and industrial fisheries, especially through ghost fishing and entanglement in marine debris (e.g., discarded fishing nets)

• High rates of turtle entanglement and deaths in trawls and nets, with 50% mortality noted in some cases

• Lack of understanding regarding climate change impacts on marine environments.

There is a lot more information I would like to share from my trip to Ras Al Hadd and about turtles as a whole that I hope to share in future upcoming posts. I hope you'll stick around for those and hope we can collectively, as a community, strive towards creating a positive and meaningful impact on this planet.