RIYADH: World Sea Turtle Day, celebrated annually on June 16, highlights Saudi Arabia’s role in protecting this threatened marine species.
Ras Baridi Beach, about 70 km north of Yanbu, is the Kingdom’s most important and well-known sea turtle nesting site.
The day was established in 2000, marking the birthday of Archie Carr, widely known as the “father of sea turtle biology.”
It comes amid a fragile environmental context: Of the seven sea turtle species worldwide, six are classified as vulnerable or endangered.
In Saudi Arabia, five species have been recorded in its waters. Two — green and hawksbill turtles — nest along its coasts.
