KARACHI: Nine freshwater turtles confiscated a day earlier along with 40 hatchlings of green sea turtles from shops at Karachi’s Burnes Road were released into the Haleji Lake in Thatta district on Tuesday, wildlife department officials stated.

The turtles were being illegally sold at the shops. They were identified as nine Indian flapshell turtles (Lissemys punctata), a freshwater species listed as Least Concern in the Red Data List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and 40 green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) classified as endangered.

All species of turtles are protected under the Sindh Turtles and Tortoises Protection, Conservation and Compensation Rules.

“It was a routine raid. Two men have been arrested and would be fined under the law,” said Azeem Ahmed Kachelo, the inspector heading the raiding team of the wildlife department, adding that the department had received complaints about the sale of turtles.

The Indian flapshell turtles, he said, had been released into the Haleji Lake, Thatta, whereas green turtles would be released at Sandspit beach in Karachi on Wednesday (today).

Sindh wildlife conservator Saeed Akhtar Baloch said: “The seizure is part of efforts to check the growing illegal trade of wildlife in the province. The department has so far broken two networks of traffickers involved in the trade of freshwater turtles and has rescued hundreds of turtles last year.”

Meanwhile, the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan has appreciated efforts of the wildlife department and underlined the need for strengthening anti-poaching operations and creating public awareness in collaboration with relevant stakeholders so the community could play an active role in the fight against the illicit trade.

“The wildlife crime industry is also demand-driven. Hence, bringing change in public behaviour through persuasion is critical.

“Illegal wildlife trade is growing at an alarming rate at pet shops as well as through the social media, which needs to be strictly monitored,” said Rab Nawaz, senior director programmes at the WWF-P.

Poaching, catching, trapping, netting of turtles and tortoises and using them as whole parts, products or derivatives for any purpose is prohibited under the turtles and tortoises law as well as the Sindh Protection Ordinance, 1972. The rules also ban transportation, petting, caging and export of turtles and tortoise.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2017