Status of Sea Turtles in Kuwait By Dr. Salim Al-Mohanna Dr. Salim Al-Mohanna& Dr. Preeta George MARINE CONSERVATION FORUM-EWS-WWF, September’06
Status of Sea Turtles in the Gulf Past and Present
GREEN TURTLE Different generations of green turtles
HAWKSBILL TURTLE Top: Two adult hawksbill turtles, one under the coral reef and the other near the water surface Bottom: Juvenile Hawksbill turtle
LOGGERHEAD TURTLE Adult female sighted swimming near surface in the southern part of Kuwait Right (Top & bottom): Adult female trapped in Hadhra at south of Kuwait was rescued and released back into sea
LEATHERBACK TURTLE Adult female was caught by gill net. Prof. Meakins and a member of the Diving Team are seen carrying out morphological measurements
TURTLE NESTING SITES Umm Al-Maradim Island Qaruh Island Mainland shore
Just Emerged from sea 2 Nesting 3 Post nesting GREEN TURTLE NESTING
HAWKSBILL TURTLE NESTING
EGG LAYING
NEST SIZE AND SHAPE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GREEN AND HAWKSBILL TURTLE Green Turtle Nest Hawksbill Turtle Nest
DIFFERENCE IN EGG SIZE OF GREEN AND HAWKSBILL TURTLE HATCHING OF GREEN AND HAWKSBILL EGGS
TURTLE TRACK GREEN TURTLE TRACK WITH TAIL SCORING IN THE MIDDLE HAWKSBILL TRACK WITHOUT TAIL SCORING
Sheikha Amthal and Dr. Salim Al- Mohanna watch as the hatchlings emerge Hatchling Track EMERGENCE OF HATCHLINGS Hawksbill Green
A ghost crab seen feasting on a turtle hatchling Sea birds gathered along the shore in wait for a prey NATURAL THREATS
Natural nesting site of Umm Al-Maradim before construction Nesting site of Umm Al-Maradim as construction work is in progress ANTHROPOGENIC THREATS
Above: Pebbles and cement left behind after construction finished, depriving the turtles to find suitable nesting ground Right: Modification of sandy shore leads to loss of nesting ground DESTRUCTION OF NESTING SITES
THREAT FROM FISHING GEARS
OIL POLLUTION VICTIMS Leatherback Turtle Green Turtle
GUN FIRE VICTIMS Teens gun shot Iraqi warfare
Rescue operation in progress
Turtles are tagged before being released
Heading toward their natural home
Volunteers pose for a photograph just before the release of 4 turtles
Volunteers from Kuwait Diving Team seen to assist in measuring the nest size
Members of task team of the on-going project engaged in measuring a turtle track on one of the island of Kuwait
MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PHYLOGENY Agarose gel image shows PCR amplified product
THANK YOU FOR CARING