Marine Turtles on Sandy and Rocky Beaches of Pakistan

Marine turtles in Pakistan are protected, either directly or indirectly, through a series of legal and regulatory provisions. Five marine turtle species, including green turtles (Chelonia mydas), olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea), hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) and leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) have been recorded from the Karachi coast and Balochistan coast. During the present study, we surveyed all known and potential turtle nesting sites, and identified six new nesting beaches, including Mubarak village (Karachi coast), Gwadar (West Bay), Pishukan, Ganz, Sonmiani, and Hingol National Park (Balochistan coast). Nesting of C. mydas and L. olivacea in Pakistan occurs at Hawkesbay and Sandspit along Karachi Coast, and at Ormara and Jiwani along Balochistan coast. The research techniques and information are helpful for wildlife BS., MS and Ph.D students, wildlife biologists, wildlife managers, wildlife conservation organizations etc.