Conservation Actions on Trade in Freshwater Turtles of Pakistan

Dr. Muhammad Mumtaz Malik, Chief Conservator Wildlife, NWFP, inspects a confiscated consignment of turtle parts.

Following a landmark survey and subsequent investigation by the Pakistan Wetlands Programme into the illegal trade in turtle body parts in areas of the Indus River, the Wildlife Departments of both Sindh and the NWFP have implemented definitive measures to stop this abusive trade.

The NWFP Wildlife Department has amended the Wildlife Act of 1975 to address the current situation. Dr. Muhammad Mumtaz Malik, Chief Conservator of Wildlife, NWFP, has taken special steps to include all eight species of freshwater turtles found in the province in Schedule III, which is the list of protected animals under the NWFP Wildlife Act.

The surveys and investigation conducted by the PWP along the River Indus exposed an organised, illegal trade in freshwater turtle body parts. The local communities, mostly Kehal and Pakhiwals, are apparently killing thousands of freshwater turtles each year. They remove the plastron and chest pellicles of the turtles for sale to middlemen. Export of turtle body parts is a violation of Pakistan's international obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The NWFP Wildlife Department promulgated the new addition to the provincial laws and instructed its staff throughout the province to seize any suspected consignment of turtle parts. In addition, they were asked to discourage local communities from poaching freshwater turtles.
Taking swift action in accordance with their new instructions, the staff of the NWFP Wildlife Department confiscated several consignments of freshwater turtle parts. These efforts were widely reported in newspapers throughout Pakistan.

Confiscated turtle parts.

Similarly, following the PWP's investigations, the Sindh Wildlife Department seized two major consignments of freshwater turtle parts at Karachi International Airport. One of these consignments weighed approximately 700 kg and was estimated to have an international market value of about $100,000. These consignments were reportedly bound for China.

The trade in turtle parts is a significant threat to the surviving freshwater turtle population in Pakistan and it needs to be addressed on priority basis. The PWP looks forward to further law enforcement efforts such as that launched by the NWFP and Sindh Wildlife Departments.

By: Ahmad Khan, Programme Manager Regional Programmes, PWP.
Uzma Noureen, Research Assistant, Regional Programmes, PWP.