Hawksbill Turtle

Lore & Background

The hawksbill turtle is one of the globally endangered marine species found in Bu Tinah's waters, according to the source. The archipelago's extensive coral reefs and seagrass beds provide critical habitat for this turtle, alongside other rare species like the Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin and the dugong. Bu Tinah's coral community is of keen scientific interest because it survives in conditions—water temperatures as high as 35 °C in summer and among the most saline in the world—that would kill coral species elsewhere. The hawksbill's presence in this extreme environment highlights the resilience of Bu Tinah's ecosystem, which is closed to visitors and protected by patrols that enforce bans on fishing and the collection of turtle eggs. An Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi Ranger Station on the island monitors these protections.

In Their Own Story

In 2018, a team of marine scientists from Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi and Emirates Nature - WWF satellite tagged a number of Green sea turtles at Bu Tinah, not hawksbills, but the study reveals the kind of research conducted in these waters. Three tagged Green turtles swam more than 6000 km over seven months, traveling around the Musandam Peninsula through the Strait of Hormuz to Ras al Hadd in Oman to nest, and back to Bu Tinah. This study showed previously unknown linkages between Green sea turtles in the UAE and Oman. Bu Tinah also features in the documentary 'Wild Abu Dhabi: The Turtles of Al Dhafra,' which won a finalist award at the New York Festival TV and Film Awards in the Nature & Wildlife documentary category. While the source does not provide a specific story about a hawksbill turtle, it confirms that hawksbills are among the rare marine life found here.

Reader's Guide

The hawksbill turtle is listed as a rare species in Bu Tinah's waters, according to the source. The island is part of the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve, the region's first and largest UNESCO-designated marine biosphere reserve, with a territory of more than 4,000 km2. Bu Tinah is closed to visitors, and fishing and the collection of turtle eggs are prohibited, enforced by patrols. The Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi maintains a Ranger Station on the island. The source does not provide specific conservation status, diet, or habitat details for the hawksbill, but notes that Bu Tinah's coral reefs survive in extreme conditions of high temperature and salinity, making the area of keen scientific interest. The archipelago has also been designated an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for breeding Socotra cormorants and wintering Siberian sand plovers.

Did You Know?

• The rare hawksbill turtle is found in Bu Tinah's waters, which are part of the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve, the region's first and largest UNESCO-designated marine biosphere reserve.
• Bu Tinah's coral reefs survive in water temperatures as high as 35 °C in summer, among the warmest and most saline in the world.
• Fishing and the collection of turtle eggs are prohibited on Bu Tinah Island, with the ban enforced by patrols.
• Bu Tinah is one of the 28 official finalists for the 'New 7 Wonders of Nature.'
• The archipelago has been designated an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for breeding Socotra cormorants and wintering Siberian sand plovers.