KARACHI, Aug 24: The World Wide Fund for Nature will launch a crash programme on Saturday to conserve and help grow marine turtles along the Karachi coast.

The inauguration ceremony of the project "Save Turtles Project" would start by 8.30am at Sand spit beach, and would be participated by more than 250 children from various schools among other people, the WWF Education Officer, Shameer Ali told APP on Tuesday.

The WWF marine turtles conservation initiative aims to complement and expand the current marine turtle conservation efforts by the Sindh Wildlife Department, he said. The organisation would focus on four key areas, including capacity building of local communities ie training and involvement; education of visitors to the beach and other target groups; protection of turtles' hatchlings, eggs; and beach cleaning activities.

He identified three major threats to marine turtles at the Karachi coast including pollution on beach ie plastic, rubber, glass and leather stuff; harm to eggs and hatchlings by dogs, crows, kites, beach visitors; and disturbance by visitors like noise and lights.

He told that the WWF initiated its turtles conservation activities at the coast after establishing a Wetland Centre at Sand spit beach. The WWF has focussed its efforts on monitoring the population of turtles and creating awareness among the visitors especially students.

An officer said that his organization was also running a beach cleaning programme that involved students and other volunteers. " Beach cleaning is essential to provide a safe nesting site to marine turtles during nesting season."- APP