Pakistan has received 200 confiscated black pound turtles illegally poached and smuggled to China, in a first-ever recovery of the animals retrieved alive from poachers.
There are eight different species of freshwater turtles found in Pakistan; five of which are globally threatened species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
All eight freshwater turtle species are listed in CITES Appendices I & II and their import and export without a legal permit is prohibited, adds the press release.
Countless species including turtles are illegally poached and exported to other countries especially China and East Asian countries.
However, it is for the first time that the animals have been recovered alive from the poachers and repatriation of the turtles has taken place, according to a statement issued here today.
The turtles were handed over to Pakistan in a friendly ceremony held at the Pak-China border at Khunjerab Pass attended by wildlife officials from Pakistan. The turtles can be sold for an estimated USD 1,627 each as pets in China.
The Chinese authorities were instrumental in confiscating the consignment of hard-shell turtles arriving from Pakistan,
The rescued turtles will be released into their natural habitat after being rehabilitated.
Uzma Noureen, coordinator Indus River Dolphin Conservation Project and also a member of the IUCN Tortoises and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, said illegal trade of body parts of softshell turtle species has been reported since year 2000.
This is, however, very alarming to see that now the hard shell species are also being targeted in illegal trade for sale as pets, Noureen said.
Turtles in Pakistan face multiple threats due to habitat degradation, scarcity of water, pollution and the biggest threat to its survival is from illegal trade to different countries on commercial scale.
