KARACHI: The fishing community and several environmentalists have reported an increase in the frequency of dead turtles being spotted along the Balochistan coast over the past 20 days, the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) stated on Tuesday.
According to WWF-P officials, carcasses of at least three turtles — loggerhead, green and olive ridley — were found at Gwadar (West Bay) on a single day (April 13). The mortalities have been attributed to their entanglement in fishing gear.
“We are seriously concerned as the population of all marine turtles is facing serious threats,” said Muhammad Moazzam Khan, technical adviser to WWF-P, adding that 15 to 20 turtle carcasses had been spotted by fishermen along the Balochistan coast in recent weeks.
He stressed the need to raise awareness among fishermen and the public on conservation, adding that these recent events were a setback to the ongoing conservation efforts of WWF-P, relevant government departments and other organisations.
WWF-P blames entanglement in fishing gear for deaths; warns of setback to ongoing conservation efforts
“WWF-Pakistan initiated an offshore gillnet fisheries monitoring programme in 2012, including an assessment of entanglement of marine turtles and other non-target species. The findings revealed that marine turtles, especially olive ridley turtles, are frequently entangled in fishing operations,” Mr Khan pointed out.
The work on the conservation of green turtles was started by WWF-P, and since then, the Sindh and Balochistan Forest and Wildlife Departments, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and other organisations have been involved in their protection, he added. Research carried out by WWF-P has shown that the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) is one of the rarest turtle species recorded in Pakistan, with only 12 sightings over the past 40 years.
While it is globally listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, its extreme rarity and ongoing threats in Pakistan suggest that it may be considered critically endangered at the national level.
The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is one of the species that frequently visits selected sandy beaches along Pakistan’s coast for nesting and egg-laying.
In 2025, the IUCN Red List reclassified the global population of green sea turtles from endangered to least concern, though some sub-populations remain a conservation concern.
There are still fears that the population of green turtles in Pakistan is facing many serious threats that require intensive conservation action. The recent increase in the stranding of marine turtles is indicative of the threat being faced by these turtles.
The olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) is the most common turtle found in Pakistan, especially in offshore waters. This turtle used to nest on Pakistan’s coast, but since 1990, no record of its nesting has been reported in the country.
Being an inhabitant of the offshore waters, it is prone to entanglement in gillnet fishing, which results in their frequent stranding along Pakistan’s coast. The olive ridley sea turtle is considered a vulnerable species by the IUCN and requires conservation measures.
Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2026
