Turtle Watching in Oman

The beaches of Ras Al Had, Ras Al Junayz and Masirah island are just some of the areas where several species of marine turtles come to lay their eggs. Green Turtles, Loggerheads, Hawksbill and Olive Ridley turtles live for over 100 years and swim the length and breadth of the Indian Ocean only to return every year to the same sites to lay their eggs. 

The Leatherback turtle inhabits the areas around the Oman shore but they do not lay their eggs here. Oman is a wonderful place to see five of the seven species of turtles. Many tour operators and hotels in Sur offer turtle visitation packages. It is necessary to acquire a permit to visit the official nesting sites as the turtles are protected as endangered species. Once again, local tour operators will provide full details.

Thousands of turtles migrate annually in order to lay their eggs on Omani shores. This is an incredible sight and it has become popular amongst the tourists to come out in the Omani nights and watch these sea creatures drag themselves out of the waters and onto the sand. Here they will dig a hole with the tips of their paws, a strenuous task. They will lay their eggs and bury them and drag themselves back into the sea. 

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Just under two months later, the turtles will hatch. These little hatchlings will instinctlvely begin to make their way into the sea, their natural habitat. The journey from the nest to the sea is the most dangerous one that a little hatchling will have to make as it is unprotected from hungry predators.

Experts say an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 green turtle egg clutches are laid each year in the Sultanate, the effort of about 20,000 turtles or more. This gives Oman probably the greatest number of nesting green turtles of any single Indian Ocean. Except for Ras al Jinz, Oman has closed all the 275 turtle nesting beaches on its coastline in order to protect their habitat from any kind of harm. Green turtles are among the most endangered of all the ocean’s creatures.

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Thousands of visitors come to Oman to witness this natural phenomenon. The Omani government actively protects the beaches and the turtles and in the months of May through July turtles venture closer to shore in order to feed and to procreate. Lucky tourists can observe them in their natural habitat in the one of the few unspoiled places in the world.

Whether you are moving to Oman or you are just a visitor, do not take these sightings for granted. It is a rare and beautiful natural phenomenon to witness nature at its most brilliant. Ensure that you and your children take the opportunity to make time in your schedule to see the turtles nesting, or to visit one of the places where the turtles lives during the remainder of the year.