Once upon a time, turtles were a part of myths and held a high place in legends of many Far Eastern religions and society. Today, they are only a delicacy on the menu or an ingredient in medicine. And for that, instead of living an enviously long life, they must die.

From the environment’s point of view, the turtle’s outward appearance isn’t the measure of its importance in nature. Its status as the symbol of a healthy ecosystem in water sources (marine and freshwater) is its distinction. To have freshwater and marine turtles in a region signifies biodiversity and the health of that ecosystem. So, this makes it easier to understand that as far as nature is concerned, the turtles are amongst its unsung heroes.

Pakistan has the distinction of housing eight different freshwater turtle species, which include the spotted pond turtle, Smith’s turtle, Indian roofed turtle, Brahminy or crowned river turtle, Ganges softshell turtle, peacock softshell turtle, Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle and the Indus mud turtle. Four of these species are listed as vulnerable, and one of them is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Moreover, the turtles have a similar categorisation under Cites, which is an international agreement between governments to ensure that endangered and vulnerable species of animals are not internationally traded, in order to prevent extinction. Pakistan is a signatory to several Cites agreements protecting wildlife. Since most of these turtle species are found in the Punjab, it is interesting to note that the Punjab Wildlife Act of 1974 also lists the turtles as ‘protected animals’. The turtles are considered amongst the priority species for conservation by wildlife organisations such as World Wide Fund for Nature, Pakistan (WWF—Pakistan), but despite the best of intentions, the threat to these creatures is real, and the reality of the threat is ugly.

As with most of our country’s abundant resources, the turtle population of Pakistan has been a victim of negligence and there has been no proactive monitoring by authorities. Recently, there has been an overwhelming surge in incidents of illegal poaching, killing, and trading of dried turtle parts and meat in the black market. An environmental crisis and a conservationists’ worst nightmare, this merciless targetting of the defenseless animals has left concerned citizens in shock.

One such incident of ruthless turtle slaughter was recently brought to the attention of Uzma Khan, who is the director biodiversity at WWF—Pakistan. Aamir Gill, an advocate and a fishing enthusiast, witnessed turtle poaching near Head Panjnad during a fishing excursion. Alarmed, he contacted Khan. In an email that stated first hand information about the illegal activity and the callous indifference of the officials who are supposed to safeguard these animals, Gill sought help from higher ups.

Based on the information she received, Khan alerted the director general, Wildlife, Punjab, Dr Zafar Nasrullah Khan who was swift to react and responded immediately by deploying his team to capture the culprits. The team apprehended several accused, and extended their search for those who escaped arrest at the time. It was because of the coordination between an enlightened citizen and the authorities that this swift resolution was made possible.

“We hear about incidents of turtle killing and the illegal trade flourishing to fulfill supply demands made by foreign buyers very frequently,’ says Khan, “There is an alternative to the merciless slaughter, that of organised farming and trade of these creatures. But lack of information amongst the masses, and lack of checks and balances amongst the authorities lead to disasters such as this incident.

“It is necessary that citizens, the wildlife and fisheries authorities, activists and stake holders make combined efforts for safety and conservation, and for the media to highlight these issues so that there can be accountability and promotion of a healthy attitude towards endangered species,” she adds

It is clear that these priceless creatures are mostly considered peripheral entities that are exploited by human beings, for the sake of human wants. This not only puts the natural balance of environment in danger, but on a more basic level, this cruel disregard for the conservation for such animals is destroying our natural heritage and identity as well.

Countries such as the US, Japan, Thailand and China have several established turtle farms to support the demand of turtle meat and parts in the market, and this takes away from the stress on the endangered species in the wild. However, whenever the demand is not met locally, illegal traders look towards countries like Pakistan to exploit the local turtle population.

It is indeed sad to note that the absence of livelihoods and the greed that comes from abject poverty ends up destroying what nature has worked so hard to build. The need of the hour is to realise the importance of this issue and take necessary steps to highlight it so that this part of Pakistan’s natural heritage is preserved for our generations to come.