Sunday, February 22, 2026

Oman News

Oman launches field project to study sea turtles on Masirah Island

The Environment Authority has launched a field project on Masirah Island to study and safeguard sea turtle populations.

Oman News Agency

info@thearabianstories.com

Sunday, February 22, 2026

MUSCAT – The Environment Authority’s department in South Sharqiyah Governorate, represented by the Environment Center in the Wilayat of Masirah, has implemented the field project with a focus on assessing the hatching success rate of olive ridley turtle nests along the island’s beaches.

The project covers the olive ridley turtle nesting season, which runs from February to May, followed by the loggerhead turtle season from May to October. Survey and monitoring activities span 84 kilometres of the island’s coastline.

Fieldwork is conducted in two daily periods. Morning activities include counting turtle tracks and nests, returning stray turtles to the sea, and documenting any turtle mortality. Nighttime activities focus on monitoring nesting events, numbering turtles, and observing beach conditions.

Ghassi bin Hamad Al Farsi, director of the turtle nesting season project in Masirah, pointed out that the initiative aims to strengthen efforts to protect sea turtles and preserve biodiversity. He noted that field monitoring is conducted in coordination with sea conditions and tidal movements to ensure accurate data collection and the sustainability of the project’s outcomes.

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