Ministry of Environment Inaugurates Sea Turtles 2024 Nesting Season

Sea Turtles 2024 Nesting Season

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change today inaugurated the 2024 nesting season for sea turtles and organized a cleaning and rehabilitation campaign at Fuwairit Beach, in the presence of HE Minister of Environment and Climate Change Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie.

The campaign, overseen by the Wildlife Development Department, involved officials from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, representatives from participating entities, as well as 300 volunteers who conducted the cleaning and rehabilitation of the beach.

HE the Minister of Environment and Climate Change conducted a tour to inspect the environmental systems of the designated area for the endangered Hawksbill turtle protection project. He also reviewed the progress related to the protection and conservation of terrestrial and marine environments in the region.

In his statements to mark the occasion, HE the Minister emphasized the importance of the Hawksbill sea turtle protection project, initiated by the ministry since 2003 in collaboration with Qatar Petroleum and Qatar University. He pointed out that over the past five years, the project has released more than 50,000 young turtles, contributing to the increase in their numbers in the Qatari marine environment.

Regarding biodiversity protection efforts in the country, His Excellency said that the richness of the local environment constitutes a national heritage that must be sustained and preserved for future generations. His Excellency said that the ministry is in the final stages of launching a biodiversity database in Qatar aimed at preserving biological diversity data and mapping the important biodiversity sites in the country.

His Excellency added that the project includes establishing a knowledge management platform that allows partners and decision-makers to benefit from the database information in national development and biodiversity efforts, as part of Qatar's digital government strategy 2023 2025.

On the sidelines of the nesting season opening, HE the Minister of Environment and Climate Change honored the participants in the campaign and the opening of the turtle nesting season. The list of participants honored included Qatar Energy, Qatar University, Red Crescent, Al Thakhira Youth Center, and Sea Shore Company.

(QNA)