tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5208777025836854466.post8870096425716834069..comments2017-12-03T14:59:37.949+04:00Comments on Dhofar Eco Bug: Turtles Versus Tourists!Dhofar Eco Bughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450083059670447161noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5208777025836854466.post-62258742751273450402012-03-09T21:43:25.978+04:002012-03-09T21:43:25.978+04:00I made a trip there last year and was lucky enough...I made a trip there last year and was lucky enough to see a few turtles and one laying eggs, but what I wasnt impressed by were the "tourists" who came along for the ride, they completely ignored the guides instructions, kept disturbing the turtles, talking on mobile phones, taking flash photography right in the turtles faces amongst other things. If it wasnt inbuilt in the turtles to return to nest at the same beaches throughout their life Im sure they would move elsewhere, although I hear elsewhere in Oman has other problems to contend with.<br /><br />The visitor centre does have a lot to be desired and it would help to have some kind of educational material on display for people to view while they waited. I was surprised that the fisheries centre in Muscat has live turtles on display and nothing was at Ras al Jinz...then again they should all be out in the ocean anyway unless they are injured or unable to return to the wild.<br /><br />Tony.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5208777025836854466.post-53721954631254778252012-01-15T15:13:51.857+04:002012-01-15T15:13:51.857+04:00William Le Crerar
I hope to visit Oman again in th...William Le Crerar<br />I hope to visit Oman again in the not too distant future and would hope that Dhofar Eco Bug's comments would have been acted upon by the relevant authorities.<br />I have never had the opportunity to observe nesting turtles. I hope I will be able to do so in Oman under more favourable circumstances than those described by Dhofar Eco Bug.Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00330252106964504014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5208777025836854466.post-8023232192185134702012-01-10T13:23:01.683+04:002012-01-10T13:23:01.683+04:00we made about the same experience last summer when...we made about the same experience last summer when we were re-visiting the site: as I was carrying our daugther (4 years old) we haven't been able to follow the group as fast as the guide was walking in front. he didn't look back at all on his way to the beach. <br /><br />having arrived the group surrounded a turtle within a distance of less than a meter away from the turtle. I cannot imagine, that this didn't disturb her. after, the members of the group were walking around without any guidance, trapping into holes, talking loudly and waiting for sunrise. there was no more explanation, no guidance any more. <br /><br />as a german tour operator (focussing on eco-tourism and operatinig to oman since about 15 yeears now) we were suspending our group visits to ras al-jinz for many years before they implemented the recent system due to the scarce nature protection that time, and we're thinking to boycott ras al-jinz again. this would be a pity for our visitors, who're really interested in the issue, but it seems as if there's no other way to minimize the impact of tourism to the turtles.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5208777025836854466.post-79329693526713271522012-01-09T23:25:35.611+04:002012-01-09T23:25:35.611+04:00There were at least five staff at the reception de...There were at least five staff at the reception desk doing nothing on the evening that we visited. I went to ask what was happening, and explained that we had a small tired child with us but it was still impossible to get any useful information about what to expect of the evening if anything at all. <br /><br />Sadly we left having learned nothing about the turtles or their conservation work. A missed opportunity. A simple presentation by a conservationist, a video, a leaflet or some information boards could all help address this. At least that way visitors would leave better informed or even part with some cash to support the conservation effort. It really could and should be better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5208777025836854466.post-72763728002095361732012-01-09T21:50:59.679+04:002012-01-09T21:50:59.679+04:00the reception area is unfortunately usually chaoti...the reception area is unfortunately usually chaotic and as you said suffers from complete lack of information as to what is happening and what to do.<br />Against that the Turtle watching experience is infinitely better than it was before, with a claimed 100 people maximum per night divided into groups of about 25 people(crammed into the reception area 100 might seem to be 1000s). The guides are informative (in English / Arabic) and can manage the group competently.<br /><br />I have been visiting for more than 20years (from before it was a reserve, though to the previous set up with 1000s of people arriving and frankly abusing the animals till today) and hope that you will try again and enjoy a magical experience (I've never been at any time of year on gone away without seeing at least 1) and enjoy seeing improvements each time you visitOman Turtleshttp://omanholiday.co.uk/blognoreply@blogger.com