Israeli conservationists release endangered hawksbill turtles into Red Sea
Three ‘critically endangered’ turtles, all females, were raised in an underwater observatory in Eilat, and finally reached maturity at more than twenty years old
Israeli conservationists released three hawksbill turtles into the Red Sea to rehabilitate the population of the critically endangered species in the wild, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority said on Thursday.
The three females — Nova, 25, Israel, 25, and Yael, 27 — were raised at an underwater observatory on the shore of Eilat, a port city along the northern tip of the Red Sea, and were set free after reaching maturity.
Each was fitted with a satellite transmitter on their shell so their movements could be tracked and viewed by the public on the website, Wildlife Computers.
Shortly after swimming away from shore, one of the turtles was spotted stopping by a coral reef, possibly looking for a snack.
They are omnivorous with a penchant for eating soft coral and sea sponges, according to the Nature and Parks Authority.
“One of the things that we need to know — is a turtle that has lived all its life in captivity, how and will he survive in nature?” said Aviv Levy of Eilat’s Underwater Observatory Marine Park.
Hawksbill turtles are classified as “critically endangered” by the World Wildlife Fund.
Around 8,000 adult nesting females are estimated to live worldwide, according to WWF — and only some dozens are believed to live in Eilat Bay, according to the Nature and Parks Authority.
The turtles help maintain healthy coral reefs by removing prey, like sponges, from the reef’s surface and providing better access for fish to feed, it says.
However, encounters with sea vessels and entanglements in fishing nets have brought the species to the edge of extinction. They have also been hunted for their shells.