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Green and hawksbill turtles cruise the Red Sea's reefs and seagrass meadows — gentle, ancient mariners and among the most beloved creatures to meet underwater.السلاحف الخضراء وصقرية المنقار تجوب شعاب البحر الأحمر ومروج الأعشاب — بحّارةٌ قدامى ودودون ومن أحبّ المخلوقات للقاءٍ تحت الماء.
Few sights delight divers and snorkellers more than a sea turtle gliding calmly along the reef. The Red Sea is home to several species, most commonly the green and hawksbill turtles, which can be seen grazing the seagrass and cruising the coral across Egypt's coast. Ancient, graceful, and often wonderfully unbothered by people, these gentle reptiles are a highlight of any time in the water — and a joy to watch as they go peacefully about their lives.
قلّةٌ من المشاهد تُبهج الغوّاصين والغاطسين أكثر من سلحفاةٍ بحرية تنساب بهدوءٍ على طول الشعبة. والبحر الأحمر موطنٌ لأنواعٍ عدّة، أشهرها السلحفاة الخضراء وصقرية المنقار، وتُرى ترعى الأعشاب البحرية وتجوب المرجان على امتداد ساحل مصر. وقديمةٌ ورشيقة، وكثيرًا ما لا تأبه بالناس على نحوٍ بديع، هذه الزواحف الوديعة متعةُ أي وقتٍ في الماء — وبهجةٌ لمشاهدتها وهي تمضي حياتها بسلام.
Green & Hawksbill · الخضراء وصقرية المنقار
Meet the Red Sea’s turtles.تعرّف على سلاحف البحر الأحمر.
The two most commonly seen species are easy to tell apart with a little practice. The green turtle is the larger, a peaceful grazer that feeds mainly on seagrass, often seen munching in shallow bays. The hawksbill turtle is smaller, with a distinctive pointed, beak-like mouth and a beautiful patterned shell; it favours the reef, where it feeds on sponges. Both are commonly encountered in Egyptian waters, and other species, such as the loggerhead, also pass through the Red Sea.
Where to See Them · أين تراها
Turtles all along the coast.سلاحفُ على طول الساحل.
Sea turtles are seen all along the Egyptian Red Sea, but seagrass bays are especially reliable. Spots like Abu Dabbab and Marsa Mubarak near Marsa Alam are famous for resident green turtles grazing in the shallows, often alongside dugongs. Hawksbills, meanwhile, turn up on reefs up and down the coast. Because turtles must surface to breathe and often feed in shallow water, even snorkellers have an excellent chance of meeting one.
Ancient Mariners · بحّارةٌ قدامى
Travellers of the open sea.رحّالةُ البحر المفتوح.
Sea turtles are remarkable animals with long lives and epic journeys. They can live for many decades, and migrate across great distances of open ocean between feeding grounds and the very beaches where they hatched, to which females return to lay their own eggs. Watching one of these ancient mariners — a lineage older than the dinosaurs in form — drift gracefully over a Red Sea reef connects divers to one of nature's great survivors and travellers.
Protecting Turtles · حماية السلاحف
Watch, but never disturb.شاهد دون أن تزعج.
All sea turtles are threatened or endangered, facing dangers from plastic pollution, fishing nets, boat strikes, and the loss of nesting beaches. Divers and snorkellers can help by following simple rules: never touch, chase, or ride a turtle, keep a respectful distance, and never feed them. A turtle that feels safe will carry on grazing or resting, giving the most rewarding encounter. Reducing plastic and supporting marine protection all help keep these beloved creatures cruising the Red Sea.
Quick Facts · حقائق سريعة
Sources include marine-life and Red Sea conservation references.