Using remote sensing and geographic Information system to assess the status of the nesting habitat of hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata): At Big Giftun Island, Red Sea, Egypt

Remote sensing has become a worldwide tool for natural resource managers as well as government agencies, industry and conservation organizations. Furthermore, it is a valuable technique in detecting and mapping different types of cosmopolitan hazards. Activities and development along the Egyptian Red Sea coast have grown in fast and remarkable manner. Tourism is one of the leading sources of income to Egypt's economy; tourism activities can affect marine and coastal living and nonliving components of local ecosystems. Sea turtles are among the most threatened and endangered animals due to human encroachments that affect nesting grounds and fishing activities that affect animals at foraging grounds and during migrations. The hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata is a critically endangered species that nests in Giftun Island in the Red Sea off Egypt. Remote sensing and satellite imagery provided observations that show that Giftun Island is suffering from anthropogenic and physical threats; the results explain a decline in nests of Eretmochelys imbricata. Keywords: Remote sensing, Turtles, Red Sea, Eretmochelys imbricata, Big Giftun Island