Little heroes in a half-shell…

If you’ve had a dip in the sea in the last few weeks, you’ll be able to confirm the fact that… ‘it’s a bit nippy’ out there.

And humans are not alone in this seasonal shivering. According to the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), the  ‘fresh’ bathing temperatures are also affecting some of our local marine animals. Even those, it turns out, that are cold-blooded and wear their homes on their back.

Remarkably, the coastal winter waters are a little too cool for some of our native turtle chums, and there has been a marked increase in sea turtles being stranded on Abu Dhabi’s beaches.

If the idea of fledgling cute little freezing turtles is too much for you on a Sunday morning, you might not want to click play on the video below, but if you want to help, there is a way.

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The Environment Agency has been asking Abu Dhabi residents to report any turtle sightings on 800 555. Protecting our natural environment and surrounding ecology is a community effort.

One of our aquatic residents, the hawksbill turtle is listed as critically endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species

Images: Abu Dhabi Media Office