You might have spotted turtles swimming in Jumeirah Naseem and rest assured, these turtles are NOT there for your viewing pleasure.

Part of a rehabilitation centre by Dubai Holding which has been in operation since 2004, over 1,800 turtles have been rescued and released back into the sea. Hurrah!

If you’re a fan of these totally awesome creatures, you can visit the outdoor turtle rehabilitation enclosure which is located within Jumeirah Al Naseem. It’s open to the public daily and there’s no charge or need to book. There’s one feeding per week, every Wednesday at 11am and it takes 20 minutes. *This is not suitable for groups and priority is given to children. More info here.

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The turtles are initially treated at the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah aquarium

Then they are brought back to full health at Turtle Rehabilitation Sanctuary at Jumeirah Al Naseem, where you might have spotted them.

This work is crucial, all seven species of marine turtles are listed as vulnerable to extinction, endangered or critically endangered, and The Hawksbill turtle, native to the Middle East, has only 8,000 nesting females left worldwide.

Learn more about Dubai’s turtle rehabilitation here

The Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project is an initiative that takes place across our @BurjAlArab and #JumeirahAlNaseem.

Over 1,800 rescued turtles have been released back into the sea since the project launched in 2004. #DubaiHolding #JumeirahGroup #ForTheGoodOfTomorrow pic.twitter.com/K9sHPmV8JS

— Dubai Holding (@dubaiholding) January 5, 2020