14 November 2006

Beach Cleaning Activity at Sandspit

Karachi: More than 500 participants, mostly students from various CDGK schools of North Karachi and Kemari Towns, WWF Community Girls School, Kaka Pir Village, and the staff of WWF and Sindh Wildlife department removed litter from Karachi’s Sandspit Beach, a globally significant turtle nesting beach, Tuesday 14th November, 2006. The activity was organised by WWF with the support of Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), as a part of Indian Ocean South East Asia (IOSEA) ‘year of turtle 2006’ celebrations. Engineer Naeem ur Rehman Akhoond, Sr. General Manager, SSGC was the Chief Guest on the occasion.

Pakistan is a signatory to the IOSEA Agreement on conservation of marine turtles, which has declared 2006 as the ‘Year of Turtle’. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Akhoond appreciated WWF’s efforts for nature conservation and highlighted SSGC’s dedication to the cause. He emphasised the need for efforts for the protection of the environment through public awareness and assured of SSGC’s cooperation to WWF and all the others concerned for contributing in this respect.

Syed Ghulam Qadir Shah, Conservation Manager-Sindh, WWF-Pakistan thanked the Chief Guest for his organisation’s support. He also thanked all the participants including the teachers and students of CDGK Schools, community members of the Kaka Pir Village, Sindh Wildlife Department, the Education Dept., CDGK, and media for their support to WWF in its effort for nature conservation.

Mrs Nuzhat Siddiqui, Coordinator of CDGK for Environmental Education and Mr. Adnan Hamid Khan of Sindh Wildlife Department also spoke on the occasion and vowed to continue their efforts for the conservation of nature. 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 is a globally important site for marine turtle nesting. WWF, with the support of various public and corporate sector organisations, including SSGC, has been endeavouring to save the marine turtles that come to nest in the area. The beach is sandy and the nesting habitat is concentrated along a 5 km stretch. 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