Cement Dust Pollution as a Cause of Sea Turtle Hatchling Mortality at Ras Baridi, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The effects of cement dust on hatchling survival are discussed. An estimated 120 tonnes of partially processed cement dust is carried daily by predominant winds and smothers Saudi Arabia’s most important mainland sea turtle nesting beaches. In places, the fine-particle dust has accumulated to depths of >100 cm with a resulting decrease in hatchling emergence. It was found that a relatively hard dome was created above the clutch during the `filling-in' segment of the nesting process and during incubation, resulting in less than 40% hatchling emergence success. Eggs were found to develop naturally and hatch, but the hatchlings could not emerge from the nest. Subsequent conservation efforts involved marking all nest cavities during the nesting period, followed by nest excavation after the incubation period. Hatchling emergence was raised to nearly 80% in this manner.