Dead Turtles Surge Along Balochistan Coast

Over the last 20 days, the fishing community and environmentalists have observed a significant rise in dead turtles along Pakistan's Balochistan coast. WWF-Pakistan reported that at least three turtles, including loggerhead, green, and olive ridley species, were found dead in Gwadar on April 13 alone. The primary cause identified for these mortalities is entanglement in fishing gear.

This surge in turtle deaths represents a serious setback for conservation efforts. Muhammad Moazzam Khan, technical advisor to WWF-P, noted that 15 to 20 turtle carcasses have been found recently, stressing the need for increased awareness among fishermen and the public.

WWF-P's monitoring programs since 2012 have consistently shown marine turtles, particularly olive ridleys, frequently getting caught in fishing operations. Loggerhead turtles, already critically endangered nationally due to extreme rarity, and green turtles, whose nesting populations face threats despite global reclassification, are also impacted.

The olive ridley turtle, the most common in Pakistani waters, is highly susceptible to gillnet entanglement. Although they historically nested on Pakistan's coast, no nesting has been reported since 1990, highlighting ongoing conservation concerns.