Thursday 18 / April / 2024
Muscat: Human impact is the main cause for the decline in the population of the Loggerhead, an oceanic turtle found on the Masirah Island, said the Research and Conservation Manager at the Environment Society of Oman (ESO).
He was speaking on the sidelines of the launch of a campaign by the ESO to raise awareness on how individuals can make a difference by protecting turtles.
Oman has the second largest nesting population of Loggerhead sea turtles in the world.
“Human impact, such as light pollution, coastal construction, vehicle movement and fishery activities are the main reason for the extinction of the Loggerheads on the Oman coast,” Maia Sarrouf Willson, the research and conservation manager of ESO, said.
According to the ESO, a global assessment of the Loggerhead sea turtle was completed last year by a global network of sea turtle experts of the Marine Turtle Specialist Group, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
As per the study, the North West Indian Ocean Loggerhead sub-population, which nests in Oman and Yemen, has been classified as critically endangered, the highest threat category
on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
ESO cluster also said the assessment shows that the sub-population declined by 80 per cent during the past three generations, and today it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild, in the immediate future.
According to a study by IUCN, an estimated 13,000 Loggerhead females nest on the Masirah Island annually. But ESO data points out that this number is below 30,000 to 40,000 females, which was estimated in scientific research conducted around two decades ago.
According to Dana Al Sarhani, a board member of ESO, they are conducting various activities to protect the Loggerheads on the Masirah Island.
“Our turtle research and conservation team conducts various activities that include environmental monitoring by our field assistants on Masirah Island, which has helped us to recognise the current decline in population status,” Al Sarhani told the Times of Oman.
“We also study and document beach use impact of various stakeholders that use beaches where the turtles nest,” she added.
The board member also stated that over the years, they have collaborated with the community, schools and authorities to conduct beach clean-ups and have installed signage with tips for beach users to protect the habitat of the turtles on Masirah.
According to Al Sarhani, in association with the women in Masirah, ESO has worked together to hold workshops for creating products and raising awareness within their communities.
“Our community outreach extends to the fishermen of Masirah, with whom we have engaged with over the years to educate and guide them on the importance of turtles in their livelihoods,” Al Sarhani said.
“In direct relation to our sea turtle conservation efforts in Masirah, we have been able to create job opportunities and raise the capacity and interest within the local community,” she asserted.
According to her, sea turtles are an indicator of a healthy marine life.
“Their importance within the ecosystem revolves around their lifecycle in land and marine habitats and within the food web. So breaking this link in the food chain can have knock-on effects throughout, having a direct impact on our dependence on the ocean for sustenance, economic returns and tourism,” Al Sarhani stated.
“It is imperative, that we collectively take responsibility to develop stronger on-ground conservation efforts to protect our marine bio-diversity,” she added.
Speaking about the campaign Al Sarhani said, “Our campaign is being planned over a span of three months; we have various speakers that will be hosting talks with our members and the public, as well as use social media as a key channel to spread the message.”
“We are collaborating with various existing platforms and partnering with local public figures to raise awareness through their events, social media, and voices,” she added.
