World Turtle Day: WWF-Pakistan for conservation of marine, freshwater turtles

To mark the World Turtle Day, WWF-Pakistan on Tuesday urged for conservation of marine and freshwater turtles in Pakistan, which already face habitat degradation, entanglement in fishing gears, climate change and illegal wildlife trade. The World Turtle Day is celebrated on 23 May every year. On this occasion, the WWF-Pakistan said five species of marine turtles are found in Pakistan of which green turtle is the most commonly occurring and nesting along the country's coast. There are eight other species of freshwater turtles and two of land tortoises.
The world has been celebrating World Turtle Day since 2000. American Tortoise Rescue - a US based NGO, initiated it in 2000 to bring attention and increase knowledge and respect for turtles and tortoises. This initiative also encourages human action to help these reptiles survive and thrive in their natural habitats. International community celebrates this day with the aim to create awareness about these curious reptiles which is facing the increasing threat of extinction.
The major threats faced by marine turtles in Pakistan are mortality in fishing operations (high bycatch), pollution, habitat degradation and climate change, which may wipe out precious marine life including majestic turtle species. It is reported that green turtles nest on sandy shore along the Sindh and Balochistan coast. In Sindh important nesting grounds are Sandspit, Hawksbay, and Paradise Point; whereas along the Balochistan coast they are Sonmiani, Taq (Ormara), Astola Island and Daran (Jiwani) where every year thousands of marine turtles come to lay their eggs.
No confirmed report of nesting of the Olive Ridley turtle, another species which nested on Pakistani beaches, has been reported since the last 14 years. WWF-Pakistan studies, however, revealed that this species is the most common species found in offshore areas of Pakistan. In order to solve this mystery, WWF-Pakistan will install satellite tags on these turtles in October 2018 that will help determining their migration and nesting grounds. The other three species ie loggerhead, hawksbill and leatherback turtles are of rare occurrence along Pakistan's coast, however, WWF-Pakistan has some evidence of their occurrence and distribution along the coast.
Moreover, it is also noticed that freshwater turtles and their marine cousins are confronting serious threats. Illegal poaching, habitat degradation, water abstraction, fragmentation of rivers and canals and fishing operations are threatening freshwater turtles in Pakistan. Export of freshwater turtle meat, which is banned, is considered the main threat to these vulnerable species and there is a need for their immediate protection. Through the efforts of WWF-Pakistan, provincial wildlife departments, Pakistan Customs and others stakeholders many consignments of freshwater turtles and land tortoises have been confiscated. These agencies are keeping a vigil to control the illegal trade of these species.
WWF-Pakistan's Technical Advisor Muhammad Moazzam Khan said turtle enmeshment is an important issue because of ever-increasing gillnet fleets and ghost fishing gears. Pakistan is among countries complying with United States requirement of having turtle excluder devices (TED) since 1999. Khan further informed that in order to reduce entanglement of marine turtles in gillnet fishing gears, WWF-Pakistan has convinced local gillnet fishermen to shift from surface to subsurface gillnetting which has reduced turtle entanglements in gillnet by 95 percent because most turtle species inhabit surface waters.
Dr Babar Khan, Director Wildlife stressed the need to create awareness among the general public, especially youth, about the important national asset in the form of diversified land tortoises, freshwater and marine turtles which abound our fresh and marine waters but are facing serious threat of extinction mainly because of human activities as well as climate change.