08 November 2006

Beach Cleaning Activity at Sandspit

Karachi: WWF, with the support of ICI Pakistan Limited, organised a beach cleaning activity on Wednesday 8th November, 2006 at Sandspit. WWF has been endeavouring to save the marine turtles that come to nest on the beach along the Karachi coast. Pakistan is a signatory to the IOSEA Agreement on conservation of marine turtles. The IOSEA has declared 2006 as the ‘Year of Turtle’.

Mr. Waqar A. Malik, the Chief Executive of ICI Pakistan inaugurated the activity by releasing a turtle hatchling into the sea. Dr. Ejaz Ahmad, the Deputy Director General, WWF-Pakistan welcomed the Chief Guest. The activity started at about 9:15 am and continued till noon. About 250 children from various schools and WWF and Sindh Wild Life department staff participated in the activity. Beach cleaning was followed by a prize distribution ceremony at which the Chief Guest distributed awards to the participating students. The Chief Guest also presented the Marine Turtle Rescue Award 2006, to the winner. WWF’s representative presented a souvenir to Mr. Waqar A. Malik. At the end of the ceremony, the students were shown a film about marine turtles. The first prize of Beach Cleaning Activity Competition went to the students of BVS Parsi High School who collected 423 kg of garbage during the activity. In total, about 1,144 kg of garbage had been collected from the beach. Mr. Malik also visited WWF Community Girls School, Kaka Pir Village. The students presented a tableau on marine turtles.

Marine turtles are species of special concern included in the WWF strategic plan. Globally there are eight species of marine turtles and they are all classified as endangered. Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) and Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) are the two species of marine turtles that nest along the Sandspit beach at the Karachi coast. These species are also listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Pakistan is also a signatory to CITES, which prohibits trade in turtles, turtle parts and eggs. The Government of Sindh has also declared Marine Turtles as ‘protected’ species.

Sandspit / Hawkesbay is a globally important site for marine turtle nesting. The beach is sandy and the nesting habitat is concentrated along a 5 km stretch of the beach. Sindh Wildlife Department has been implementing a marine turtle conservation programme at the Karachi coast. WWF initiated its turtle conservation activities at the Karachi coast after establishing a Wetland Centre at the Sandspit beach.

For further information:
Abdul Karim Gabol,
Communications Officer-Sindh
Phone: 4544791, 4544792.
Email: kgabol@wwf.org.pk