One-of-a-kind experience of sighting a greenback Turtle
An extinguished specie being take care of
( Mother Turtle ,weighing up to 150 kgs, digging a massive cavity to lay eggs and then burying the eggs with sand .)
To meet an endangered specie is an emotional experience .It evokes a mix of curiosity and an aching sorrow, wondering why we, as careless humans, failed to preserve them. I often get puzzled about dinosaurs and their sudden disappearance, which has left many questions unanswered. At the same time, it feels miraculous to witness the few remaining species while lacking the opportunity to see others.
Today, I laced up my trainers to seek answers to my questions. I visited a natural turtle sanctuary at Ras Al Jinz, Oman. Every year, from April to September, more than five species of turtles from various parts of the world visit the Arabian Peninsula. Turtles are solitary creatures, migrating mostly alone. Satellite telemetry has shown that their nesting and hatching occur in tropical areas where the sand is usually warmly moist .
(The entrance of an impressive Sanctuary, working hard to fight against poaching)
(Dawn in the desert lined by Sea)
At 4:00 AM, as the sun was just beginning to rub its eyes from the quilt of the night sky, casting streaks of pink and silver, our guide instructed us to wear earthly tones, carry no flashlights or cameras, and gather 15 minutes early to form a group. It was a non-smoking and non-eating area, so I picked up a water bottle and my visiting card, ready to follow the guidelines.
Exactly at 4:15 AM, we began our walk through the mountains, crossing wet sand towards the sea.
After a 15-minute walk, we stopped. It was a magical sight: a large-jawed, olive-colored turtle was nestled in a deep hole about 50 cm deep (approx). The background music played by rhythmic beating of waves nearby was turning the scene surreal .
According to the guide :
- The shell-giants are 200 years old , the oldest reptile to survive till today.
- A mother turtle lays around 250 eggs by digging a wide trench by using its bacK flippers . One out of a thousand hatchlings reach healthy adulthood .
- After laying the eggs , the mother crawls back to the sea.
- The eggs are left unattended and it takes around 60 days to hatch . If the temperature of the sand is higher there are more chances of a female baby turtle to emerge out of the egg.
- Female Turtles while following Earth’s magnetic field always returns to the place where she was born . While a male turtle never leaves Sea.
- Their maximum age is 70 years .
- Turtles with a toothless jaw eat jelly fish, grass , squids and algae.
- According to IUCN , 129 among 300 species of turtles are endangered or on the brink of extinction .
Despite our kind Guide’s recurrent instructions ,a five-year-old boy threw chocolate flakes on the sand. An Omani father, seeing this, addressed his children, “Let’s tidy the place up, as the turtle is the pride and symbol of the Sultanate of Oman. It could hurt the eggs.”
They began picking up the litter, and I decided to join them. Soon, an American couple followed us. This collective act of kindness truly touched my heart and all of the spectators pledged not to throw waste by the shore wherever would we go .
The turtle crawled back to the Sea , I never know when we will meet next time but I ‘m grateful to Allah for making this momentary romance possible .
(All images by the Writer)
Thank you for reading ❤️🐢
