As part of the joint cooperation between the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) and Abu Dhabi Media(ADM), the UAE’s leading public service broadcaster and media company, to support the conservation and increase awareness of the unique biodiversity of Abu Dhabi Emirate,Wild Abu Dhabi: Turtles of Al Dhafra, a wildlife documentary produced by EAD, will air this week exclusively on Abu Dhabi TV and Emarat TV for viewers to enjoy.

The remarkable documentary follows the journey of a group of scientists who island hop to monitor species of turtles, including the Hawksbills and Green turtles, which are considered endangered species. Filmed over a period of two years, the EAD Team Turtle recorded the hatching habits of the turtles as well as the size and weight of the new hatchlings.

Commenting on the documentary Ahmed Al Hashmi, Acting Executive Director of Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity at EAD said: “It is an honour to announce that our feature film, Wild Abu Dhabi: The Turtles of Al Dhafra, will be aired on both Abu Dhabi and Emarat TV. This comes within the framework of our ongoing strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi Media to enhance environmental awareness and shed light on UAE and Abu Dhabi efforts to preserve the environment and biodiversity. I encourage everyone to watch this wonderful documentary. It is extremely informative and entertaining at the same time.”

Al Hashmi added: “The film was shot under difficult circumstances and we are proud of the EAD Team Turtle and our strategic partners. It is a momentous occasion for the team as they will be able to see their hard-work and dedication being aired on Abu Dhabi Media Channels for the public to see.”

Juma Al Houti, Acting Executive Director – TV, Abu Dhabi Media: “The broadcast of this incredible documentary falls in line with Abu Dhabi Media’s objectives of delivering innovative, educational, and entertaining content. It is our national responsibility to spread awareness about key issues that impact the community and deliver positive messages regarding government initiatives – this partnership will enable us to do just that, especially for an important topic like environmental conservation.”

The film introduces audiences to the scientific research carried out by the Agency, which is predominantly comprised of UAE nationals, and focuses on how the team gather data surrounding the challenges and dangers turtles face. These include coastal habitat destruction, waste like single use plastic entering the environment where it is being ingested by the turtles, abandoned illegal fishing gear and climate change.

Abu Dhabi is home to around 5,000 sea turtles, including around 1,500 critically endangered Hawksbill turtles and 3,500 endangered Green turtles.