Sea turtles

Sea turtles and the coastal landscape of Oman have formed a symbiosis for thousands of years. These prehistoric reptiles are, however, threatened with extinction and are protected worldwide. For this reason, the government of Oman has established several nature reserves along the coast. The approximately 2000 km long coastline of the country serves as an important site for egg-laying and thus reproduction for sea turtles. It is the most important breeding ground for sea turtles in the Indian Ocean. Of the seven species of sea turtles that live worldwide, five nest on the beaches of Oman. This is a world record.

Turtles live almost exclusively in water; only the female individuals come ashore to lay their eggs. On average, sea turtles live to be 100 years old and only become sexually mature at around 40 years of age. They feed on jellyfish, shellfish, seagrass, or algae.

The so-called Lepidochelys olivacea (Olive Ridley turtle) has its breeding site on the coast of Oman. Unfortunately, scientists predict a poor future for them. It seems certain that this species will be extinct in a few years. The situation is different for the Chelonia mydas (Green sea turtle). Its preferred nesting area is along the coastline between Ras al-Hadd and Ra’s ar Ru’ays. Further south, in the region around Masirah Island, is the largest population of Caretta (Loggerhead turtle). The Daymaniyat Islands are home to a reserve for the Eretmochelys imbricata (Hawksbill turtle). The fifth species of sea turtle, Dermochelys coriacea (Leatherback turtle), also inhabits the waters of Oman but does not breed here. The uniqueness lies in the size of this animal. It measures over 2 meters and weighs between 500 and 900 kg.