SHARE YOUR SIGHTINGS

Join the movement to protect the marine turtles in the Red Sea

SHARE YOUR SIGHTINGS

Join the movement to protect the marine turtles in the Red Sea

How to share your sightings:

TAKE PICTURES OR VIDEOS

Take pictures/videos of your sightings, in order to identify the turtles you have seen. In particular, we need pictures of the right and left facial profiles (plus some special features or the whole carapace if you manage).

Right profile

Left profile

COLLECT DATA

During your sighting collect some data on the turtle in order to help us to identify it.

Required info

  • Photographer
  • Date
  • Location
  • Permission to share your pictures

Optional info

  • Dive center / independent
  • Time
  • Depth
  • Water temperature
  • Species
  • Activity at first sight
  • Approx. size
  • Sex
  • Other info

SEND US YOUR DATA

Fill this form with all your data on the turtle sighting and send it to us!

    REQUIRED DATA

    This is the most important information related to your sighting. We need one or more pictures of the turtles you have seen, in order to identify them at individual level. We use pictures of the right and left facial profiles to identify single turtles. We may also collect pictures of special features (scars, malformations, missing flippers) or the whole carapace to support identification. File types allowed: .jpg, .png, .tiff, .mp4, .mov.
    Who took the pictures you are sharing? This information is used to credit the photographer when pictures are shared on social media or used in presentations for educational purposes.
    When was the picture taken? This information is used to understand whether there are differences in marine turtle distribution according to the season.
    What is the name of the nearest town to your sighting spot?
    Where was the picture taken? What is the common name of the dive or snorkeling site? This information is used to identify areas important for marine turtles.

    OPTIONAL DATA

    Were you on your own or on an excursion with a dive centre? Who organized the trip? This information helps us promote dive and snorkeling centres that are part of our TurtleWatch – Egypt 2.0 network and acknowledge their participation on social media.
    What time did you first see the turtle?
    At what depth did you see the turtle? If you are reporting a turtle seen while snorkeling, you can say whether the turtle was at the surface, mid-water or at the bottom.
    What was the water temperature when you saw the turtle? This information, combined with the date of the sighting, helps us understand how water temperature impacts turtle presence or absence. If you were diving and had a dive computer, you may have this information.
    What was the turtle doing when you first saw it? When more than one turtle is observed at the same time, they may be fighting, involved in courtship behaviour or mating.
    Can you identify what turtle you saw? You can use the identification key in the “species” section of our website.
    How long was the turtle’s carapace? You can provide an estimate of the straight carapace length (SCL), which is the length of the carapace only, from the neck to the tail, without considering the curvature. You can find more information in the “did you know” section of our website. This data helps us understand whether a turtle is juvenile or adult.
    Sex can usually be identified only in adult or sub-adult individuals (carapace length above 70 cm). The best way to identify the sex of a turtle is by observing its tail. If the tail extends well beyond the carapace (>20 cm), it is usually an adult male. The tail of a female turtle is short and usually extends only slightly beyond the end of the carapace (<10 cm). More information is available in the “did you know” section of our website.
    Have you noticed any unusual behaviour or special feature on the turtle? Was the turtle in distress or injured? Let us know any other information that could be useful.

    DATA TREATMENT AND AUTHORIZATION

    I allow TurtleWatch Egypt 2.0 to use my digital contents (photos and videos) and the data entered in this form for didactic, educational and scientific use.
    I allow TurtleWatch Egypt 2.0 to use my digital contents (photos and videos) and the data entered in this form for marketing and advertising use (social media, magazines, etc.).
    PLEASE NOTE: Our active team currently consists of just two people, and photo-identification is a manual and time-consuming process. Since March 2025, we have been working without funding.

    This means it may take months to process your sighting. If you receive a confirmation email, we have your data. If not, feel free to contact us.

    Thank you for your support and patience – your contribution helps protect sea turtles and their habitat.

    If you’d like to support our work, consider making a donation. 💚

    What happens with your data?

    The collected data will be reviewed by our staff, inserted into our Red Sea Turtles database and will be used to generate spatial and temporal distribution maps. In the long term, this data will also help us to estimate population trends and abundance.

    We use your pictures only in promotional and educational material. We will credit the photographer in all occasions. We will contact you if we would like to use your images in publications like dive magazines or posters.

    Want to practice before submitting photos?

    NEW • Interactive game

    TurtleTurtle Red Sea

    Match sea turtle faces to learn photo-identification—and unlock the stories of the turtles living in the Egyptian Red Sea.

    📷 Learn how photo-ID works (left vs right facial patterns)
    🐢 Discover each turtle’s story & conservation facts
    💪🏻 Perfect as a quick training for volunteers & new staff

    Credits & data:
    Photos from TurtleWatch Egypt 2.0’s photo-ID database (built since 2011).
    Based on the original TurtleTurtle concept developed with support from Queen Mary University of London.
    Red Sea version developed with funding from an International Sea Turtle Society Innovation Grant.

    See the sightings map and find your turtle!
    See the sightings map and find your turtle!

    Find out your turtles’ sightings in the Red Sea.

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    Turtles registered
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    Turtles sightings

    DOWNLOAD THE MANUAL TO FIND OUT MORE

    DOWNLOAD THE MANUAL TO FIND OUT MORE

    Support TurtleWatch Egypt 2.0!

    Support TurtleWatch Egypt 2.0!