CAIRO – 21 August 2025: In an environmental scene that reflects Egypt’s commitment to preserving biodiversity, the Ashtoum El Gamil Protected Area in Port Said Governorate continues to conserve sea turtles.
Dr. Hussein Rashad, Director General of the Northern Egypt Protected Areas, said the turtles were rescued in Alexandria and transferred to Ashtoum El-Gamil Center to have their health monitored before reintegrating them into their natural environment.
Ashtoum El-Gamil Reserve also contributes to raising environmental awareness among community members, Rashad said.
The reserve’s motto is “the greater the environmental awareness in the community, the less need there is for costly protection programs.”
One of the reserve’s most notable success stories was the rescue of a sea turtle in a tourist village in Port Said. The village’s administrators contacted the reserve’s rescue team to release it into the Mediterranean Sea.
To their surprise, the rescue team found that the turtle was threatened with extinction. It feeds on jellyfish, making it an important element in maintaining ecological balance.
On July 30, 2025, the reserve welcomed the sea turtle “Walaa,” named after Ms. Walaa, who cared for it for two years after they had found it in poor health due to plastic pollution.
After communicating with the Ministry of Environment, the turtle was examined and found to be a loggerhead turtle, a species threatened with extinction, and in excellent health. It was placed under observation then released into the Mediterranean Sea to regain its natural life.
Ashtoum El-Gamil Reserve emphasizes that citizen cooperation with the relevant authorities is the cornerstone of marine life protection, calling for the prompt reporting of any sea turtle found and contributing to the reduction of the risks threatening them, especially plastic pollution.
