The Club is the proud sponsor of TURBO Turtle as part of the EWS-WWF Marine Turtle Conservation Project. With our sponsorship, the EWS-WWF conservation team was able to offset the satellite tagging and monitoring costs of our Turtle, TURBO (pictured right).

Mike McGrath, The Club's General Manager says ‘as part of The Club’s ‘Supporting the Environment’ programme, we are excited to be a part of this excellent conservation activity. By sponsoring a Turtle, The Club’s Members and Junior Members are able to join in this worthwhile cause and actively engage while both learning about the Turtles and helping to conserve them.’

The Turtle project aims to protect the critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle by tracking their migration patterns and feeding habits in the region.

In May 2012, Junior Club Members joined a seminar held at The Club in order to learn more about the Hawksbill Turtle from the EWS-WWF and many then became The Club’s Turtle Ambassadors. At the gathering, Junior Members voted on the name ‘TURBO’ for The Club’s Turtle.

As part of the Turtle Ambassador project, The Club’s Junior Members are raising funds towards the programme as well as tracking the progress made by TURBO in the Great Turtle Race. The Club’s Junior Members are aiming to raise 30,000 Dhs in sponsorship in 2012 towards TURBO Turtle and the satellite-tracking project.

Visit www.gulfturtles.com/ to find out more.

Turbo did well in the Great Gulf Turtle Race!

To help raise awareness of the conservation needs of marine turtles, EWS-WWF launched the Great Gulf Turtle Race in 2011 and it returns once again this year. In a light-hearted bid to increase interest around these beautiful creatures and the plight they face as a critically endangered species, the turtle race plotted the number of kilometres the satellite tagged turtles in the Gulf have swam. As 28 Hawksbill turtles from this year’s tagging entered the Great Gulf Turtle Race, they competed to become the furthest travelled turtle and the most popular turtle.

By using satellite-tracking technology, each time the turtle surfaces to breathe, a record of her location was made and the kilometres she has travelled were noted from where she was last recorded on the satellite.

Meet The Club’s Turtle – ‘TURBO’

Turbo is an Adult Female Hawksbill turtle that was released with a satellite transmitter at 4am on 24th May 2012 at Zirqu Island, UAE.

EWS-WWF describe The Club’s Turtle: ‘Turbo is a 68 cm turtle which emerged during a strong windy night, known as the Shamal in the Gulf region. Temperatures were down, which increased the setting time for the glue while we were attaching the satellite transmitter. She actually emerged early the evening before, but we only managed to let her go by 4 am... She did manage to lay eggs under a low shrub, and with the generous sponsorship of The Club, she now carries EAD tag numbers L0063 and R0064, and a shiny new satellite transmitter to help us determine her migration path to her typical feeding areas. These data will be used to help plot key areas in the Gulf in need of additional protection to safeguard turtles at sea.’

Get involved!

We invite all Junior Members to participate in raising money to help Turbo. Please contact the Health Complex Reception to find out more.