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KARACHI, Aug 6: A huge consignment of parts of freshwater turtles’ bodies was caught at the city airport in July but a case is yet to be registered against the smugglers, Dawn has learnt from reliable sources.
The species is protected under both local and international conservation laws. The export of all reptile species, including freshwater turtles, is banned under Pakistan’s export laws and the species is listed as a medium category endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which restricts trade and export.
The illegal consignment, weighing approximately 700 kilogrammes, was detected at Quaid-i-Azam International Airport’s cargo terminal in the last week of July. However, sources say, the first offence report (FOR) – the Sindh Wildlife Department’s equivalent of the police FIR – has not yet been registered.
Sources informed Dawn that the contraband turtle parts were being smuggled to China under the guise of dry fish skin, and at least one federal government department dealing with fisheries had certified that the consignment comprised of dry fish skins.
Sindh Wildlife Conservator Ghulam Rasool Channa told Dawn that the Sindh Wildlife Department (SWD) has approached the Customs Department to obtain the consignment, comprising over 16 cartons, each weighing between 20 and 40 kilogrammes.
Asked why a case has not yet been registered against the turtle smugglers, the SWD’s deputy conservator and turtle expert, Dr Fahmida Firdaus, stated: “I do not have any information regarding the case.”
According to Dawn’s sources, the Customs Department caught a consignment of freshwater turtle meat some time ago, which was being transported to East Asia. However, despite the passage of many months, the consignment has not been handed over to the SWD since the Customs Department has sent the case to court.
Freshwater turtles are found in bodies of fresh water all over the country and could have been poached anywhere. Sources point out, however, that the fact that the poachers managed to bring the contraband consignment into Karachi reflects the efficiency of the provincial wildlife departments.
Reportedly, samples of the turtle parts were sent to Karachi University’s Zoology Department and the federal government’s Department of Zoological Survey of Pakistan, both of which confirmed that the parts belong to freshwater turtles.
Fresh water turtles play a vital role in cleaning bodies of water by consuming harmful organisms and vegetation and help maintain the balance of a fragile aquatic ecosystem. Turtle meat is a culinary delicacy in East Asia while various parts of its body are believed to have aphrodisiac qualities, although this has not been proved scientifically. Turtles derivatives are used in a number of traditional medicines in the East.
Sources said that owing to the demand in East Asian countries, freshwater turtles are prized hunters’ trophies and as a result, their numbers are dwindling rapidly. If the poaching and smuggling of this species is not stopped, it could soon become extinct.
Reportedly, smugglers buy freshwater turtle meat and body parts for about Rs200-300 per kilogramme from poachers; in East Asian countries, however, the market value could be anywhere between $50-100.
