School kids release baby turtles into sea

The Sindh Wildlife Department has achieved a milestone by releasing 110 green turtle hatchlings into the sea this year.

To make the event even memorable, children from various schools were invited to witness the turtle release activity.

The young attendees not only observed female turtles coming to Turtle Beach to lay their eggs but also released the baby turtles into the sea with their own hands.

Sindh Wildlife, Marine Turtles Conservation Unit in-charge, Ashfaq Ali Memon, announced that a total of 15,500 turtle eggs have been collected this year.

He said that the release of these hatchlings is a significant step in preserving these majestic creatures.

"This is the second event related to aquatic life this year. More than 15,500 eggs have been collected so far this year, and it takes approximately one and a half to two months for these eggs to hatch," he said.

Memon further said that a female turtle typically lays between 80 to 120 eggs at a time, and female green turtles continue to visit the shores of Hawke's Bay and Sandspit to lay their eggs.

The breeding season for female turtles in various coastal areas of Pakistan, including Karachi, will continue until February of the following year [2024].

In an effort to ensure their survival, special measures have been implemented for green turtles following the extinction of olive tortoises.

These efforts have yielded positive results, with a significant increase in the number of female turtles compared to previous years.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2023.