Published Nov 13, 2026 12:00 AM EST For one group of young sea turtles, a protected wetland in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) proved a perfect oasis. A team tracking nine juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) found they were spending over 80 percent of their time in the Al Qurm Wa Lehhfaiiah Protected Area, a human-made lagoon on the UAE’s Gulf of Oman coast. Large numbers of turtles are also found in this basin built beyond the salt-tolerant trees and shrubs along the coast.