Call for measures to protect turtle population in Pakistan

The illegal trade of turtles, particularly for their meat and body parts in East Asian countries, remains a key challenge to their survival along with

habitat degradation and fishing induced mortalities

The turtle population in Pakistan is declining rapidly due to environmental pollution and human activities such as poaching. The current scenario increases the need to implement measures to protect the endangered species of marine and freshwater turtles from complete extinction.

This was stated by WWF-Pakistan officials on the occasion of World Turtle Day, which was observed with the pledge to intensify efforts for the protection of various species of marine and freshwater turtles.

WWF-Pakistan officials urged key stakeholders to join hands to strengthen efforts to arrest the decline of Pakistan’s turtle populations. They highlighted that turtles were known as one of the oldest group of reptiles on Earth but are facing several challenges to their survival, primarily as an outcome to human-induced threats which include habitat reduction and degradation, fishing induced mortalities, pollution, illegal trade and others.

Five species of marine turtles have been reported along the Pakistani coast including Leatherback, Loggerhead, Hawksbill, Olive Ridley and Green turtles. The Green sea turtle and Olive Ridley are known to visit Pakistani coasts for nesting, particularly Sandspit and Hawkesbay in Sindh and Ormara, Astola Island and Jiwani in Balochistan.

There is little evidence available on nesting and breeding of Olive Ridley in Pakistan since 2012 which might be a sign of the extirpation of the species. An assessment conducted by WWF-Pakistan, however, has confirmed a good population of the species in offshore waters of Pakistan.

In addition, eight species of freshwater turtles are found in the Indus River system. Besides, two species of tortoises also exist in Pakistan. The illegal trade of these reptiles, particularly for the demand of their meat and body parts in East Asian countries, remains a key challenge to their survival along with habitat degradation and fishing induced mortalities.

According to Rab Nawaz, Senior Director Programmes of WWF-Pakistan, the recent seizure of over 350 Afghan tortoises served as a reminder of the fact that illegal trafficking of these reptiles is a persistent threat to their survival and can only be halted through effective enforcement of laws and alleviation of main drivers such as poverty and awareness raising at all levels.

WWF-Pakistan works in close collaboration with Federal Ministry of Climate Change, provincial wildlife departments, Pakistan Customs and other law enforcing and border security agencies to control illegal trade of live freshwater turtles and their parts. “In this context, a number of consignments were confiscated by these agencies, most of which were released in presence of WWF-Pakistan officials,” he added.

Muhammad Moazzam Khan, Technical Advisor (Marine Fisheries) WWF-Pakistan stressed on the need to take concerted efforts for the protection of turtles, particularly those of marine origin threatened by several challenges and fishing induced mortalities. 

He also shared that WWF-Pakistan plans to initiate a radio track to understand migration pattern of species such as Olive Ridely in the Arabian Sea to facilitate informed conservation strategy development. 

Khan added that WWF-Pakistan also plans to start an awareness and training program for fishermen to properly install and use Turtle Excluding Devices (TEDS) in their trawl nets.