Smuggling of turtles

Almost 90 per cent of the turtles that once thrived in Sindh’s freshwater reservoirs have disappeared. Their disappearance can be traced to the last decade and a half.

Turtles are considered to be one of our natural scavengers and they tend to keep the water healthy for human and other species living underwater. There was a time when they could be seen crossing roads and lying beside lakes. It is believed that our young generation will only have their portraits and images to look at or they might only see them at places like zoos, if they continue to disappear.

Local inhabitants and those in charge of wildlife are responsible for the endangered species’ vanishing. Sadly, the law provides smugglers a huge space to buy, carry and sell them without fear. The demand for turtles at the local level is not very high, but one can become rich if one has strong links within the country and abroad, because these reptiles fetch good prices in the international market.

“Trading of animals is not a big matter,” commented a smuggler after appearing before the court of law in the Black-pond turtle case. “The state has no time for animals and I am sure the court will also take this issue as a waste of time,” he had the temerity to state.

Recent incidents indicate that most of the time, traders send big consignments — in hundreds — as they know that the wildlife law just imposes fines of not more than Rs50,000 for an entire consignment.

There is no check at any exit route and the law enforcers do not realise the kind of consequences that will have to be borne if the entire food chain of local species becomes extinct. The locals’ involvement in the illegal business portrays a grey picture of a socially and economically fragile society.

Ironically, the general public still doesn’t feel that this is a serious issue. In fact, there are people who feel that through this trade, at least some people earn a good living. But, on the other hand, the disappearance of such animals will make countless people sick, famished and poorer off in the long run.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2014.