The nesting season for female green turtles at the city's beaches, including Hawke's Bay, has concluded. Between September 2024 and January 2025, 403 female turtles arrived at the beaches, but only 180 successfully laid eggs, while 223 turtles were forced to return to the sea without nesting due to encroachments, permanent constructions, and blocked traditional paths.
According to in-charge Marine Turtle Unit at Sindh Wildlife Department Ashfaq Memon, 20,756 eggs were collected and placed in protective pits, resulting in 11,082 hatchlings being released into the sea. The department had aimed to collect 25,000 to 30,000 eggs this season. Six turtles were tagged for research during the season to monitor their movements and habitat use.
Conservation efforts are yielding long-term results, with nearly 0.9 million hatchlings released into the sea since 1975. However, experts warn that the Green Turtle, now the only surviving nesting species in the area, is at increasing risk of extinction due to threats such as coastal pollution, garbage, and recreational disruptions. The Olive Ridley turtle, once found in the region, is now considered locally extinct, with no live females sighted on Karachi's beaches since 2010.
Contributing factors include coastal pollution, injuries from boat propellers, and disruption from recreational infrastructure. The Green Turtle's survival is also threatened by these factors.
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