Sea Turtles situation and study in I.R. Iran

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Sea Turtles situation and study in I.R. Iran

• Asghar Mobaraki
• Expert of wild Life and Aquatic affairs Bureau
• National Focal Point For MOU-IOSEA
• Department Of The Environment
• Email amobaraki_at_yahoo.com

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Contact with the Gulf and Oman sea

• 1800 km shorelines on north of the Persian Gulf
  and Oman sea
• Four provinces on the shores Khuzestan,
  Booshehr, Hormozgan and Sistan and Baluchestan
• 30 small and big islands in the Gulf with
  coastline of about 600 km
• Queshm, Hendourabi, Kish, Sheedvar, Lavan, Mond
  area islands(Ommolkaram and Nakhiloo), Khark,
  Kharkoo are the most important Islands

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The species and area

• Considering the existing populations of the
  species and their distribution both of the area
  and species could be divided to two main parts
• -The area 1-the Persian Gulf and 2-Oman sea
• -The species 1- Hawksbill and 2- Green turtles

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The Species and Habitats in the Persian Gulf

• The area consists of the main nesting habitats
  for the Hawksbills and some for the Green turtles
• Different Islands are the most important nesting
  sites for the species but, some mainland sites
  are also do exist
• Green turtles in different life stages are the
  main feeding species, specially around the
  Islands.
• Some feeding Hawksbills in juvenile stages have
  found and confirmed
• There is not any conformed records for other
  species

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The species and Habitats in the Oman sea area

• The area consists of important feeding grounds
  for the Green sea turtles in different life
  stages all year long
• There are some important nesting sites for the
  green turtles in a few numbers too (Mobaraki
  2004)
• Olive Ridley also has reported form the area(
  Kami 1997, Mobaraki 2003)
• Although there are some suitable nesting sites
  for the Hawksbill and also there are some reports
  on its nesting in far years( Kinunen and
  Walczack 1971), there were not any records in the
  past years

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The most important nesting sites of Hawksbills in
the Persian Gulf

• Considering the nesting populations of hawksbill
  turtles as well as effective threatening factors,
  some Islands in the area are supposed to be the
  most important nesting sites for this species in
  which the following ones have highly priority(
  Mobaraki 2004)
• 1- Sheedvar, Hendourabi, Hengam, Queshm, Farour
  in Hormozgan province
• 2- Nakhiloo, Ommolkaram, Kharkoo Islands and
  Nayband Bay in Booshehr province MAP

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Main nesting site and feeding grounds for green
turtles recorded in Oman sea area

• Considering the long shorelines of the Oman sea
  and lack of equipments it is difficult to cover
  all the are annually, but in some regular survey
  the main sites have identified (Mobaraki 2004)
• 1-Nesting sites Cholotr, ahmad Rizeh, Karatti,
  Kachoo, Kohpansar, Tang
• 2- feeding grounds Tang, Pozm, Miami, Djodd

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Sea turtles study in Iran( far years)

• There are some information and reports from far
  years like
• Kinunen and Walczack 1971
• Anderson 1979
• Harington 1976
• Groombrige and luxmoore 1989

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Sea turtles study in Iran (in the past years)

• Considering the lack of available information on
  sea turtles in Iran covering the existing gaps
  was in high need, specially that there was not
  any reliable information on their reproduction
  biology. So, in the past years the important
  sited were visited regularly and needed
  information and data almost collected, specially
  from Sheedvar, Hendorabi, Nakhiloo and ommolkaram
  Islands

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Important hawksbill nesting sites in the Gulf, 1
Sheedvar Island

• It has nominated as wild life refuge and 20th
  international wetland of the country
• Not subject for habitation
• Only eastern and northern part have sandy beaches
  suitable for nesting
• Adjacent to Lavan Island which has special
  importance due to oil exploitation
• It has another importance as a fishing site,
  resting place for the boats, Doves and ships
• Waters of Sheedvar are feeding habitats for green
  turtles
• Very important nesting site for the birds

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Shallow waters of Sheedvar with reefs are
suitable feeding grounds
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Feeding juvenile Green turtles are usual in most
parts
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Important hawksbill nesting sites in the Gulf, 2
Hendorabi Island

• With an area of 22.8 sq km
• Only a few families live there ( about 10)
• Most part are rocky shores, but there are some
  small a large sandy beaches suitable for nesting
  in east, north east and south
• Some tourism activities supposed to be started?

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Important Hawksbill nesting sites in the Gulf, 3
Nakhiloo Island

• With an area of 0.32 sq km
• No one lives there
• All around the island has sandy beaches suitable
  for nesting of turtles
• Important site for the nesting of bird species(
  sterna spp)
• It is part of Mond Protected Area
• Important fishing site and resting place for the
  fishermen

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Important Hawksbill nesting sites in the Gulf, 4
Ommolkaram Island

• With an area of about 0.4 sq km
• Not inhabited by human
• Most part of the shores, specially north and
  south, are suitable for nesting
• Some occasional green turtle body pits indicates
  nesting of this species too
• Important fishing site and resting place for the
  fishermen
• It is part of Mond Protected Area too

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Main nesting sites of Hawksbill turtles in Iran
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Other important site for Hawksbill turtles

• Queshm Island
• Largest Island in the area, about 1495 sq km
• Some parts suitable for the nesting of the
  turtles
• It is important feeding ground for the hawksbill
  too
• Its another importance is for the mangrove
  forests
• Under the control of Qeshm Free Zone Area which
  had some works on turtles too in the pat years
• There are some small and large villages and
  commercially important city in the Island

• Hengam Island
• Adjacent to Quesh Island, with an area of 9.8 sq
  km
• There re some small sandy beaches suitable for
  the nesting of turtles in east and north west
• It has feeding habitats for the Green turtles too
• There are some small villages and a small town in
  the Island

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Results of studies of the sites, nesting
Hawksbill Turtles
  Number of Turtles CCL (cm) CCW (cm) Weight (kg) Site The year
1 23 71 65.5 37.7 sheedvar 2003
2 13 71 64.84 40.29 sheedvar 2004
3 8 71.87 64.5 39.34 sheedvar 2005
4 14 69.91 64.5 39.41 sheedvar 2006
5 19 70.72 65 38.13 Nakhiloo 2005
6 9 72.18 66 41.54 Hendurabi 2006
7 10 71.49 62.22 38.8 Ommolkaram 2002
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Nesting Hawksbills
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Results of studies in the sites, nests of
Hawksbill turtles
  Site clutch size normal eggs egg diameter (mm) egg weight (gr) No. of nests the year
1 sheedvar 98.42 64.71 37.1 28.2 7 (30/clutch) 2003
2 sheedvar 93.33 71.66 37.56 29.05 3 (15/clutch) 2004
3 sheedvar 99.33 81 38.08 30.3 6 (15/clutch) 2005
4 sheedvar 98.14 76.5 38.74 32.11 14(15/clutch 2006
5 hendurabi 103.45 82.8 38.24 30.62 9 (15/clutch) 2006
6 Nakhiloo 79.83 71.5 38.82 32.5 6 ( 15/clutch) 2005
7 Ommolkaram 93.6 79.1 37.65 --------- 6 ( all eggs) 2002
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Results of studies in the sites, Hawksbill
hatchlings
  Site SCL (mm) CCL (mm) Weight (gr) No of Nests
1 Sheedvar 37.3 28.54 12.02 16(6-71)
2 Ommolkaram 38.9 29.35 12.93 2 (12)
3 Hendurabi 37.83 30.73 12.85 2 (78 57)
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Hawksbill Hatchlings in the Sites
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Main activities on sea turtles in the country

• Sea turtle tagging program initiates for the
  first time in the country in 2005 by the kind
  help and support of MOU-IOSEA secretariat.
• Collecting of basic information on turtles like
  the nesting females, nests, eggs and hatchlings
  to cover the existing gaps
• We are planning to have Beach cleaning up
  project in some of the main sites through
  MOU-IOSEA programs
• planning to start conservation activities in
  some sites( looking for needed budget)

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Results of tagging program in different sites
  site the year tagged turtles days of stay
1 sheedvar 2005 8 3
2 sheedvar 2006 38 20
3 Nakhiloo 2005 24 3
4 Hendurabi 2006 29 4
5 others 05 and 06 15 ------------
Total     114  
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Nesting in important sites is intensive/
considerable numbers of turtles
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Tagged Turtles in The Sites
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Important Sites for Green Turtles

• Oman Sea area has the most important nesting and
  feeding grounds for the Green turtles in the
  country
• Nesting of Green turtle recorded for the first
  time in Iran in 2003, in Cholotr (Mobaraki 2004)
• The main feeding grounds in the area also
  identified in the same study
• The nesting sites are very limited and in some
  cases small beaches surrounded by cliffs

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Nesting Green Turtle in Oman Sea Area, Cholotr
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Protection of Marine Turtles in Iran

• Nomination of sea turtles as Endangered animals
  of the country
• There was a fine of about 3,200,000 Rials for
  each killed turtle which doubled in the past
  year( 6,400,000 Rials), about US 700
• and also fine for egg collection, about US 233
  for each
• nominating of the nesting sites as" under
  management and control Area" like Mond protected
  area and sheedvar wildlife refuge
• Monitoring of the sites by DOE guards

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Main Threatening Factors of sea Turtles in Iran

• In most parts of the nesting sites egg collection
  for traditional usage as well as aphrodisiac
  purposes is usual
• In some parts turtles harvest for their meat for
  the same purposes too
• Different kinds of pollutions are usual, like the
  debris, oil and light
• By catch in fishery activities is another
  important threat, as the turtle habitats are
  important fishing grounds too
• Natural predators like the other parts of the
  world are usual, like the mammals, birds, crabs
  and insects
• Density of the body pits in the small beaches
  prevent hatchlings to reach the sea
• Mismanagement causes problems in some parts
• Boat strike is usual and increasing in some parts
• Different kinds of coastal area development is
  another threat for the nesting sites and turtles
• Other natural factors like the erosion is usual
  in most places, specially in small beaches

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Entangle in fishing nets
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Dried Green Turtle Eggs
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Poached Nests
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Different Kinds of Threat
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Erosion as a natural threat
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International, Regional and Multilateral
cooperation

• Iran as one of the signatory States of the
  MOU-IOSEA is working together with other
  signatory states in related subjects
• Draft of MOU between Iran DOE and UAE
  Environmental Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD), for
  protection of Houbara and Sea turtles, is
  finalizing. Some cooperative works on turtles and
  their habitats were suggested (see the items).

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Annex for the MOU DOE EAD

• Both parties shall carry out studies and programs
  on the conservation and management of sea turtles
  on
• Identification of the main nesting and feeding
  sites in the area
• Study on the migration routes by tagging and
  satellite tracking (by the help of MERC) as well
  as identification of possible shared populations.
• Establishment of rearing centers for hatchlings
  or nursery
• Banning of any trade and use on sea turtle eggs
  in the region by public awareness or suitable
  legal protection
• Establishment of sub-regional agreements (MOU,
  workinggroups. . .) and cooperation with similar
  international treaties(MOU IOSEA) for the
  conservation of sea turtles in the area.
• Conducting any studies for collecting any
  preliminary information needed for future
  conservational activities.
• DoE could provide nests (eggs) or hatchlings for
  the rearing centers or recovery programs in UAE.
• Considering that Dr Saif Al ghais had been the
  regional coordinator of Marineturtle Specialist
  group (MTSG), he could play essential role in
  anyexisting programs, too.
• Any other comments, changes and complete proposal
  will be negotiable in case of final agreement.

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Acknowledgment

• I would like to extend my great thanks to WWF
  office in UAE and EWS for holding the forum and
  kind supports.
• I would like also to thank the coordinator of the
  Forum, Lisa Perry, and her colleagues for their
  very kind and considerable helps and
  cosiderations.