{
  "id": 19944900,
  "title": "Rehabilitated sea turtles released after being rescued off UAE’s east coast",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/rehabilitated-sea-turtles-released-after-being-rescued-off-uaes-east",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-14T08:05:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2026/11/14/rehabilitated-sea-turtles-released-after-being-rescued-off-uaes-east-coast/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Fifteen green sea turtles have been released off Sharjah’s east coast after being rehabilitated for illness or injury. The Sharjah Strandings Response Programme, operated by the Environment and Protected Areas Authority, rescued and restored the turtles to health. Tracking devices were attached to the reptiles before their release in the Al Qurm Protected Area. Fadi Yaghmour, a scientific researcher and conservation specialist with the EPAA, described the releases as \"the best part of the job,\" noting that they were rewarding and often involved treating animals injured by boat strikes or entanglement in fishing gear. Most of the turtles were released because they were diseased or exhausted, possibly after migrating to nesting sites in Oman. The EPAA rehabilitates various marine life, including seabirds, sea snakes, and other turtles. Ten more sea turtles are currently in rehabilitation and will be released later. EPAA staff discover injured or stranded animals through patrols, reports from the coastguard, beach hotel staff, or the public. Understanding seasonal patterns, they discovered that seabirds are the most commonly rescued creatures, with numbers peaking in December and January. Research shows that green sea turtle numbers have increased in the Gulf region, and they are now classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. However, some populations worldwide are still endangered or vulnerable due to threats like coastal development, climate change, egg harvesting, and the turtle meat trade. Sea turtles play a vital role in maintaining healthy seagrass meadows by grazing, which helps keep algae growth in check and supports fish populations.",
  "summary": "Fifteen green sea turtles have been released off Sharjah’s east coast after undergoing up to a year of rehabilitation for illness or injury. Tracking devices were attached to the reptiles before they were set free in the Al Qurm Protected Area. The turtles were rescued and restored to health through the Sharjah Strandings Response Programme run by the Environment and Protected Areas Authority,…",
  "key_points": [
    "Fifteen green sea turtles released off Sharjah’s east coast.",
    "EPAA rehabilitates marine life, including sea turtles.",
    "Green sea turtle populations increasing in Gulf region."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Active rehabilitation and tracking of injured marine life strengthen local conservation efforts to protect vital species that maintain the health of regional seagrass meadows and fish populations.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}