Are There Turtles in Saudi Arabia?

Yes, five species of turtles inhabit the territorial waters of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), and leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea). Key locations where these turtles are found in Saudi Arabia include the Farasan Islands Marine Reserve, Karan and Jana Islands in the Arabian Gulf, Ras Baridi north of Yanbu, and Al-Waqadi Island in Umluj.

Saudi Arabia became a party to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species in 1990, which encompasses sea turtles. In 2005, the National Center for Wildlife signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the Conservation of Sea Turtles in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. Between 2009 and 2014, fifty-five satellite tracking devices were installed on green and hawksbill turtles in the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf.