Hawksbill turtle eggs hatch safely on Saadiyat

A batch of over 300 hawksbill turtle eggs hatched safely on Saadiyat Beach last week, under the observation of Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) - developer of Saadiyat island.

The company's qualified environment affairs team monitored the hatching, as they have done in previous years. The 9km stretch of beach plays host to several hawksbill turtle nests every year.

The turtle eggs hatched from nests at the northern end of Saadiyat, between Monte Carlo Beach Club and the property boundary.

The hawksbill is listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, as its worldwide population has declined by more than 80 per cent in the last three generations. This decline is due to various factors, including the loss of nesting habitats.

TDIC's environment affairs team has a stringent conservation plan in place to ensure that as development progresses on Saadiyat, the precious creatures will continue to choose Saadiyat Beach as their nesting ground.

The hawksbill turtle conservation plan consists of a number of important elements, including guidelines for the protection of the Saadiyat coastal dune system, guidelines for construction contractors during the turtle nesting season, lighting guidelines and assessments for operational developments, and a dedicated environmental resource that monitors and audits construction activities and properties currently under operation on Saadiyat. For example, during nesting season contractors are not permitted to access the beach without authorization in order to prevent damage to nests, night-time lighting is reduced to aid the hatchling turtles' orientation towards the sea, and nesting locations are logged and avoided by beach maintenance crews.

Saadiyat Beach's coastal dune system provides the ideal habitat for hawksbill turtle nesting. As such, TDIC has restricted resort development on Saadiyat Beach to at least 60 metres back from the seaward edge of the coastal dunes; this buffer zone provides a physical barrier between the proposed construction and operations and the nesting beach, known as the Saadiyat Dune Protection Zone. Operational guidelines further protect the nesting sites by restricting beach access to pedestrian access only. All pedestrians are guided to the beach on a set of elevated walkways (boardwalks), which prevent people from walking through the delicate dune system and potentially disturbing the nests.

Millie Plowman, Environment Manager at TDIC, said: "Hawksbill turtles are threatened by extinction, which is significantly due to the loss of nesting habitats. We are therefore extremely happy that the protection of the Saadiyat dune system has encouraged the hawksbills to return year after year to nest on Saadiyat Beach despite the construction activities. Our aim is to ensure that all turtle eggs hatch safely and that the hatchlings make it to the water; this year's successful hatching shows how our conservation plan is paying off, and we look forward to welcoming the turtles back next year." Hawksbill nesting site preservation forms part of TDIC's commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible development across all its projects. TDIC has produced a number of project specific regulations, which are in line with the company's vision for sustainable development, and cover marine life, green building principles, indigenous plant conservation and sustainable communities.

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