Doha, August 02 (QNA) - The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) has announced the conclusion of the 2025 nesting season for hawksbill sea turtles in Qatar, which extended from March 31 to the end of July 2025, with 8,213 hatchlings released into their natural habitat.

In a statement Saturday, MoECC highlighted that the Hawksbill Turtle Conservation Project, listed among the critically endangered species, was launched in 2003 in collaboration with QatarEnergy and the Environmental Science Center (ESC) at Qatar University.

The statement pointed out that over the past five years, the project had contributed to the release of 60,000-plus hatchlings into Qatar's natural habitat.

The current season witnessed the nesting of 219 turtles across eight main sites, namely Fuwairit, Ras Rakan, Ras Laffan, Sharaoua, Umm Tais, Al Ghariya, Al Maroona, and Al Khor, with specialized environmental teams relocating the nests to Fuwairit Beach, which has been designated as a protected turtle nesting site since 2020, the statement read.

As part of stepping up public awareness, the ministry conducted field trips to the turtle nesting site at Fuwairit, with the intent of pitching the importance of sea turtles and their role in maintaining the ecological balance, with broader participation of relevant entities.

The efforts of the project team, in collaboration with ESC, included comprehensive field coverage of nesting sites, including monitoring turtles during egg-laying, taking measurements, assigning identification numbers, and relocating nests to safe areas.

In addition, DNA samples were collected for genetic analysis, and tracking devices were installed to monitor turtles' movements and habitats.

Studies were conducted to figure out the reasons behind the death of some hatchlings, as part of the efforts to constantly optimize this habitat and hold orientation workshops at school campuses, particularly in the north of Qatar, the ministry said.

Director of the MoECC's Wildlife Development Department, Khalid Jumaa Al Mohannadi, hailed the efforts made by the project's team and partners, along with the public awareness and collaboration to report the incidences of injured turtles.

For his part, Assistant Director of the Wildlife Development Department, Dr. Dhafi Nasser Hidan, affirmed that cooperation is underway with partners to reinforce shielding this kind of rare species throughout the coming seasons. (QNA)