Saadiyat Island is an ideal environment for hawksbill turtles

Abu Dhabi, Aug 9, 2010 (WAM)- A batch of more than 350 Hawksbill turtles recently hatched safely on Saadiyat Island, newly hatched turtles instinctively head for the sea the moment they emerge and because bright light disorients them.
The Hawksbill turtles live in the coastal shallows off the shore of Saadiyat Island. Named after its conspicuous beaked snout, the Hawksbill lives in warm waters and feeds off sponges and molluscs and rarely strays from shallows, visitors on will be able to see the turtles in their natural habitat while snorkelling or diving off Saadiyat Beach.
During the nesting season, the beach will be patrolled by people trained to collect data and monitor the development of the turtles. The turtles will be monitored continuously during the island's construction in a joint program by the Tourism Development and Investment Company and the Environmental Agency in Abu Dhabi.
Saadiyat Island adheres to strict construction guidelines to ensure the preservation of the island's local colony of endangered hawksbill turtles, and development is restricted to a distance of 60 meters of dune lines to protect the breeding grounds. "Our aim is to ensure that development does not disturb the natural habitat or wildlife of the island," said Nasser Al Shaiba, Environment Affairs Director, TDIC, which is behind Saadiyat's transformation. – Emirates News Agency, WAM