1. Status of Sea Turtles in Kuwait By Dr. Salim Al-Mohanna Dr. Salim Al-Mohanna& Dr. Preeta George MARINE CONSERVATION FORUM-EWS-WWF, 11-14 September’06

2. Status of Sea Turtles in the Gulf Past and Present

3. GREEN TURTLE Different generations of green turtles

4. HAWKSBILL TURTLE Top: Two adult hawksbill turtles, one under the coral reef and the other near the water surface Bottom: Juvenile Hawksbill turtle

5. LOGGERHEAD TURTLE Adult female sighted swimming near surface in the southern part of Kuwait Right (Top & bottom): Adult female trapped in Hadhra at south of Kuwait was rescued and released back into sea

6. LEATHERBACK TURTLE Adult female was caught by gill net. Prof. Meakins and a member of the Diving Team are seen carrying out morphological measurements

7. TURTLE NESTING SITES Umm Al-Maradim Island Qaruh Island Mainland shore

8. 1 3 2 1 Just Emerged from sea 2 Nesting 3 Post nesting GREEN TURTLE NESTING

9. HAWKSBILL TURTLE NESTING

10. EGG LAYING

11. NEST SIZE AND SHAPE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GREEN AND HAWKSBILL TURTLE Green Turtle Nest Hawksbill Turtle Nest

12. DIFFERENCE IN EGG SIZE OF GREEN AND HAWKSBILL TURTLE HATCHING OF GREEN AND HAWKSBILL EGGS

13. TURTLE TRACK GREEN TURTLE TRACK WITH TAIL SCORING IN THE MIDDLE HAWKSBILL TRACK WITHOUT TAIL SCORING

14. Sheikha Amthal and Dr. Salim Al- Mohanna watch as the hatchlings emerge Hatchling Track EMERGENCE OF HATCHLINGS Hawksbill Green

15. A ghost crab seen feasting on a turtle hatchling Sea birds gathered along the shore in wait for a prey NATURAL THREATS

16. Natural nesting site of Umm Al-Maradim before construction Nesting site of Umm Al-Maradim as construction work is in progress ANTHROPOGENIC THREATS

17. Above: Pebbles and cement left behind after construction finished, depriving the turtles to find suitable nesting ground Right: Modification of sandy shore leads to loss of nesting ground DESTRUCTION OF NESTING SITES

18. THREAT FROM FISHING GEARS

19. OIL POLLUTION VICTIMS Leatherback Turtle Green Turtle

20. GUN FIRE VICTIMS Teens gun shot Iraqi warfare

21. Rescue operation in progress

22. Turtles are tagged before being released

23. Heading toward their natural home

24. Volunteers pose for a photograph just before the release of 4 turtles

25. Volunteers from Kuwait Diving Team seen to assist in measuring the nest size

26. Members of task team of the on-going project engaged in measuring a turtle track on one of the island of Kuwait

27. MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PHYLOGENY Agarose gel image shows PCR amplified product

28. THANK YOU FOR CARING