by Faiza Ilyaa - Karachi-Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2015
The
Hong Kong authorities have recently approached Pakistani officials with
a request to receive a consignment of 751 black pond turtles that were
being smuggled into their territory over a month ago, it emerged on
Sunday.
According
to sources, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) management authorities of Hong Kong had
contacted their Pakistani counterparts last month and informed them
about the seizure of 751 black pond turtles (Geoclemys hamiltonii).
The
freshwater species consignment with an international protected status,
the sources said, was concealed in a fishing vessel sailing in the Hong
Kong waters in February this year.
Although
the Hong Kong officials haven’t yet confirmed the origin of turtles and
the case is still under investigation, a request was sent to the CITES
management authorities of Pakistan to consider receiving and releasing
these turtles into the wild since Hong Kong is not the range state of
these turtle and the species might be smuggled out of Pakistan.
The
Hong Kong officials that also offered to bear the delivery cost,
sources said, had asked Pakistani counterparts to provide information on
turtle smuggling in their region.
According
to sources, Pakistani officials had informed the Hong Kong officials
about the Hongda Trading Company that was involved in a recent turtle
smuggling case reported at Karachi port. The company had previously sent
three shipments to Hong Kong in the cover of a certificate declaring
these turtles as fish maw.
The
Hong Kong authorities, sources, said, were investigating the company’s
links in their territory. In the meantime, the federal officials had
asked the Sindh wildlife department for their opinion over the matter.
Majority
of the officials in Sindh, the sources pointed out, were in favour of
receiving the turtles from Hong Kong considering the depleting
population of freshwater turtles in the province and its subsequent
impact on ecology.
“Yes,
the issue is being debated and soon a decision will be taken,”
confirmed the Sindh wildlife conservator, adding that if the Sindh
government decided to take and release the turtles into the wild, all
the required scientific protocols would be met.
It
is noteworthy that a Hong-Kong bound consignment of dried body parts of
over 4,000 freshwater turtles was confiscated at the Karachi port last
month. It was officially declared as the largest seizure involving
turtles in the country’s history.
The
body parts were identified as those of Indian narrow-headed softshell
turtles, a critically endangered and protected reptile in the country.
Last September, over 200 black pond turtles were confiscated at the Karachi airport.
The
species were found in the luggage of a man who had arrived from Lahore.
Forty-five turtles died due to suffocation and injuries they suffered
during travel while over 170 turtles that survived were later released
into the Haleji Lake.
The
same month, another batch of 200 smuggled black pond turtles was
released into the Indus River (in the Kalar block) near the Rohri
forest. They were smuggled out of Sindh and confiscated in Taxkorgan,
China. The turtles were handed over to Pakistani officials in a ceremony
held at Khunjrab Pass on the Pakistan-China border.
Eight
different species of freshwater turtles are found in Pakistan — five of
them are globally threatened species — namely Indian soft-shell turtle,
Indian peacock soft-shell turtle, Indian narrow-headed soft-shell
turtle, Indian flap-shell turtle, black pond turtle, Indian roofed
turtle, brown roofed turtle and crowned river turtle.
All
these species are listed in the CITES Appendices I & II that means
their import and export without a legal permit is prohibited. These
turtles are found in the entire Indus River system. The range states of
the black pond turtle include southern Pakistan (Indus and Ganges River
drainages), northeastern India (Assam), and Bangladesh.
The
Sindh government last year declared all freshwater turtle/tortoise
species found in Pakistan as protected and included them in the Schedule
II of the Sindh Wildlife Ordinance 1972. Rules were also framed to
impose heavy penalties on turtle poachers and smugglers.
The
information gathered from the internet shows that illegal turtle trade
is thriving in the region. Last year, 88 black pond turtles destined for
Bangkok were seized at the Chennai airport and 230 endangered Hamilton
turtles which were smuggled from India were seized at the Bangkok
airport.
