Sea Turtle Conservation Needs Reefs and Migration Routes, Study Says

A KAUST-led satellite tracking study of 17 female green and hawksbill turtles in the Red Sea found individuals travel from about 21.6 miles up to 312 miles between nesting beaches and feeding grounds, and researchers identified six distinct foraging areas spanning Saudi and Egyptian waters.

Researchers tracked 17 nesting female sea turtles in the Red Sea during the 2022–2023 seasons to learn where they go after laying eggs. The study focused on green and hawksbill turtles that nest on islands off the northeastern Saudi coast. Satellite tags recorded movements on shore and at the ocean surface and were used to map nesting, inter-nesting, and foraging areas. The work is discussed in the context of local development plans that include a proposed NEOM Nature Reserve. Key findings: - The study tracked six green turtles and 11 hawksbill turtles using satellite tags. - Green turtles traveled between about 21.6 miles and 312 miles within the Red Sea to reach foraging areas. - Hawksbills foraged between about 84 miles and 150 miles from their nesting sites and showed larger home ranges (about two to seven square miles). - Researchers identified six distinct foraging areas: four in Saudi Arabian waters used by both species, and two in Egyptian waters used by green turtles. - Several hawksbills crossed from Saudi waters to Egyptian waters near the entrance of the Suez Channel, an area with intense human activity such as shipping and coastal development. Summary: The tracking data show that sea turtles nesting on small islands use distant reefs and feeding grounds, which can place them in busy human-used zones. Authors and collaborators note that protecting nesting beaches alone may not cover the full range of habitats these turtles need, and they highlight the value of coordinated, wider-scale conservation planning and surveys to identify priority areas.