Endangered sea, freshwater turtles recovered in overnight raids

45 green sea turtle hatchlings and 15 Indian flapshell turtles to be released today

Officials of the Sindh Wildlife Department recovered at least 45 green sea turtle hatchlings and 15 Indian flapshell turtles that were being illegally sold at shops in Burns Road, Karachi. A fine of Rs25,000 was imposed on the owner of each shop found involved in illegal trade of the endangered species.

“Our teams raided two shops at Burnes Road on Monday night and confiscated green sea turtle hatchlings and Indian flapshell turtles. We are hopeful that the Rs25,000 fine imposed would serve as a warning to others involved in the trade in Karachi and the rest of Sindh,” Sindh Wildlife Department official Saeed Akhtar Baloch told The News on Tuesday.

Baloch said the successful seizure was a significant effort towards halting the illegal These efforts, he added, were part of the department’s commitment to ensure zero poaching and trade of all species of turtles. 

WWF-Pakistan also appreciated the department’s efforts. A spokesman for WWF-Pakistan stated that the SWD’s team conducted the raid on the request of WWF-Pakistan, which had been receiving several complaints from concerned citizens about the illegal trade of turtles in Karachi. 

The Indian flapshell turtles would be released at Haleji Lake, Thatta, whereas the green turtles would be released at Sandspit Beach, Karachi, on Wednesday (today).

Rab Nawaz, Senior Director Programmes, WWF-Pakistan, said that WWF-Pakistan is concerned about the increase in the illegal trade of the turtles and tortoises within the country due to their growing demand as pets.

“Open trade of turtles at pet shops and online via social media is increasing at an alarming rate and needs to be strictly monitored,” said the WWF-Pakistan official. 

He said efforts to foil illegal sale of turtles in Karachi were testament to the vigilance and alertness of the organisations concerned and law enforcement agencies. 

The official added that strict penalties should be set as examples for others involved in the illicit business.

He also pointed out that all species of freshwater and marine turtles are protected under the wildlife protection laws of the country but their illegal trade was still thriving. 

“Like all other illegal operations, the wildlife crime industry is also demand-driven. Hence, changing the behaviour of buyers through persuasion and enabling them to make informed choices should be the key focus in the fight against this menace,” he stated.

Rab Nawaz called for public awareness campaigns at a national level in collaboration with the relevant wildlife departments and other organisations.