In a heartfelt initiative to promote marine conservation, UAE Consul General Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Al-Remeithi participated in releasing hundreds of baby green turtles into Karachi’s Arabian Sea at Hawkesbay’s Turtle Beach. The Sindh Wildlife Department (SWD) organized the event, which aimed to highlight the importance of protecting endangered marine species along Pakistan’s coastline. The ceremony featured a documentary on annual turtle nesting and included schoolchildren, emphasizing education about marine ecosystems.
Read More: Social media can cost you your UAE visa
Speaking at the event, Dr. Al-Remeithi praised Pakistan’s coastal beauty and urged citizens to take steps to protect it. “Visitors must responsibly dispose of plastic bags instead of littering, as they severely harm green turtle habitats,” he emphasized. He also suggested UAE-style coastal facilities to enhance environmental protection in Sindh and Balochistan.
Importance of Green Turtles
Green turtles, classified as endangered, visit Pakistan’s beaches from mid-August to mid-February each year to lay eggs. SWD Deputy Conservator Mumtaz Soomro revealed a conservation goal of safeguarding 30,000 eggs this season. So far, 450 baby turtles have been released into the sea, offering hope for the species’ survival despite increasing environmental threats.
Ashfaq Memon, in charge of the Marine Turtle Unit, explained that the hatchlings are carefully released into the ocean to ensure a higher survival rate. The initiative seeks to address challenges like habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change that continue to endanger the species.
Encroachment Threatens Turtle Nesting Sites
The event comes amid rising concerns about unauthorized construction at Hawkesbay Beach. The Sindh Wildlife Department recently issued a warning to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) over alleged encroachments on turtle nesting grounds. A letter sent to KMC highlighted that construction activities have caused female turtles to abandon nesting attempts, returning to the sea without laying eggs.
Read More: Manhunt in UAE: Zubair Yousaf on the Run After Assaulting Wife
Under the Sindh Wildlife Protection Act, 2020, the department threatened legal action against unauthorized development that harms wildlife habitats. The department stressed the urgency of halting these activities to protect the green turtle population and other marine species.