Over 300 chances a night to see turtles laying eggs at Ras Al Jinz

Muscat: Turtle nesting season is well underway, with 300 to 400 turtles coming ashore every night at Ras Al Jinz beach, according to an official at the Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve, who added that the turtles started arriving in their hundreds during the first week of June.
Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve, which is a nesting site for Green Sea Turtles, allows tourists to view turtles in their natural habitat. Visitors can stay in rooms or ‘eco-tents’, or can purchase a ticket for a single riyal to watch the turtles at night.
The reserve employs guides who take visitors on tours on foot to the beach, but they have to do so in the dark and only flash lights are allowed, since light disrupts the natural activity of the turtles.
An official at the turtle reserve said that the nesting season was in full swing and turtles were expected to arrive in large numbers.
“Around 300 to 400 Green Sea Turtles show up every night, as it is peak season. However, we generally see more turtles coming ashore to nest in August and September. The nesting season started around May, but the number of turtles increased about the first week of June, and it may even go up,” he said.
‘One out of 1,000 survive’
However, few turtles survive after hatching.
“A lot of eggs are laid, but very few hatchlings survive. In fact, only one out of 1,000 turtles survive and grow to become adults. There are many reasons they do not survive, including due to predators, such as seagulls, or cats and dogs that the turtles encounter on the beach after they hatch and try to make their way to the ocean.
“But it must be added that these Green Sea Turtles have a lifespan of about 100 to 160 years. Adult turtles of this species can weigh anywhere between 100 to 120 kilogrammes.
“Everyday we get some 100 to 150 people who come to see the turtles. We get see Omanis and Indians. Some stay at the reserve, while others get tickets only to watch the turtles,” he said.