Ministry to reopen Fuwairit Beach from August 1 as turtle nesting season ends

Doha: The Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), represented by the Department of Environment Protection and Wildlife, announced that Fuwairit Beach will be reopened to the public as of Tuesday, August 1, 2019, after the end of nesting season of sea turtles.

Sea turtles are a group of reptiles that have adapted to live in the sea and are one of the most ancient creatures on planet Earth. Scientists recognize seven living species of sea turtles that live in our oceans today, including the critically endangered hawksbill turtle.

Qatar is home to three species of sea turtles, the most important of which is the hawksbill, which is of great important to the region’s ecosystem.

MME takes a number of steps to protect turtles, including closure of Fuwairit Beach from April 1, 2019, till August 1, 2019, for the protection of endangered sea turtles during the nesting season.

Wildlife and Protection Department team of highly qualified environmental inspectors and observers supervised the project site. The Ministry team collects various data on turtle nesting season, including date, time and distance between the nest and the edge of the water.

With funding from Qatar Petroleum (QP), The Environmental Science Center (ESC) at Qatar University (QU) is currently implementing the Qatar Turtle Project to protect Qatar’s hawksbill turtles.

The department has put in a lot of effort, in cooperation with Qatar Petroleum, to protect the species. The project to protect Hawksbill turtles began in 2003 and 2019 season saw coordination between Qatar Petroleum (who financed the project) and Qatar University (who implemented the project).

The first step was taken in April when Fuwairit Beach was closed in order to prepare for the nesting season. The first nesting of this season was recorded on April 2, 2019. The required measurements were made on the turtle and the eggs were shifted to safe place away from the tide of the sea.

A timetable has been made to ensure the presence of researchers and other team members round the clock while nesting turtles at the beaches of Ahoilah, Al Jassasiya, Al Maroona, Al Ghariya and Al Mifair. The turtle nesting process continued successfully reaching 66 nesting until May 20, 2019.

أعلنت وزارة البلدية والبيئة ممثلة بإدارة الحماية والحياة الفطرية بأنه سيتم إعادة افتتاح شاطئ فويرط للجمهور اعتباراً من يوم الثلاثاء الموافق 1 أغسطس، وذلك بعد اختتام موسم تعشيش السلاحف البحرية صقرية المنقار المهددة بالانقراض لعام 2019 م.