Shangri-La Resorts Muscat welcome first turtle nests of 2019

Shangri-La Al Husn Resort & Spa and Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa have welcomed the very first turtle nest of the year.

The resort’s dedicated turtle ranger, Mohammad Al Hassani, discovered the nest which was laid overnight on January 7, 2019, when he came across the tracks of a female hawksbill turtle leading to it on the private beach cove of Shangri-La Al Husn Resort & Spa.

There are only five turtle nesting sites in the Sultanate of Oman and the protected beaches of Shangri-La Al Husn Resort & Spa and adjacent sister property Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa are among them. Each year, approximately 100 female turtles return to the resorts’ beaches to lay their eggs, with each nest containing up to 120 eggs. It takes between 90 and 100 days for a nest to incubate and the expected hatching for this first nest is due to take place in mid-April.

In 2018, a total of 3,126 turtle hatchlings were produced from 95 nests laid on the beaches of Shangri-La Al Husn Resort & Spa and Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, with 51 hawksbill turtle nests and 44 green turtle nests. In 2017, 110 nests were laid, and the total number of turtles that hatched exceeded 4,700.

The resort’s dedicated turtle ranger team, Hassan Al Qasimi and Al Hassani, have been taking care of turtles since before the resort’s opening in 2006. The turtle team works to raise awareness and provide sanctuary for turtles to protect these endangered species. Educational talks take place at the Eco Centre, located above Mokha Café in Al Bandar Hotel, every day from 5pm and attendance is free. Weekly turtle walks take place from Al Waha Beach every Friday at 10am. The resort turtle rangers also offer guided snorkelling tours to witness sea turtles in their natural environment.