Red Sea Turtles Project

Marine turtles are some of the oldest surviving reptiles on the planet, and have inhabited the tropical seas and oceans for millions of years. Turtles are irreplaceable ecological resources in that they function as key individuals in a number of habitats. They can also play the role of indicator species for the relative health of their surroundings.

They are cold-blooded animals that live only in the warmer parts of the world. They spend most of their lives in the water, but must return to beaches to lay their eggs. Turtles are often highly migratory as nesting beaches may be up to 3000 km from their feeding grounds. They mate in the waters near the nesting beach, after which the female comes ashore (usually in summer and at night) and lays her eggs.

Scientists currently recognize seven living species of sea turtles worldwide, five of which can be found in the Red Sea: the green turtle , the hawksbill turtle, the leatherback turtle , the loggerhead turtle and the olive-ridley turtle. but only three species are frequently observed in the Red Sea and they are:
• The Green Turtle
• The Loggerhead Turtle
• The Hawksbill Turtle

The Goals of the Red Sea Turtles Project are:

• To introduce you to the biology of marine turtles, their role in the ecosystem, their life cycles and global population. As well as their conservation status worldwide and in the Red Sea in particular. The program also provides an overview of Turtles of Red Sea research.
• To raise awareness about their roles in ecosystems as well as the threats they are currently facing.
• To recognize the importance of Turtles monitoring activities and provide you with an opportunity to participate in Turtles conservation and citizen science programs. To enable divers and snorkelers to plan, organize and execute a dive or snorkeling tour with Turtles, in a safe and passive manner.