Alarm on Gwadar Coast as Six Green Turtles Die in December

Zareef Baloch 

Gwadar: Another green sea turtle has been found dead along the Pasni coast, taking the number of turtle deaths in Gwadar district to six within the month of December, raising serious concerns among marine wildlife experts.

This latest discovery marks the fourth turtle found dead on Pasni’s beach in December. In a related development, shells of two green sea turtles were also recovered from Padi Zar beach in Gwadar, indicating possible additional unreported fatalities.

The coastal belt of Pasni, Gwadar and Ormara is widely recognised as a critical breeding and nesting ground for green sea turtles, where the endangered species comes ashore annually to lay eggs. Marine experts have described the death of six turtles in a single month as deeply alarming and unusual for areas historically considered safe habitats.

Marine Conservationist Sudheer Baloch warned that the officially reported figure may only reflect a fraction of the actual toll. “Due to limited public awareness and weak reporting mechanisms, many turtle deaths likely go unnoticed,” the marine conservationist told this correspondent.

Baloch further noted that no comprehensive investigation has so far been conducted to determine the causes behind the sudden spike in turtle deaths. “The repeated discovery of turtle shells in such a short period is a serious warning sign,” he  said, stressing the need for immediate inquiry.

Marine specialists have urged authorities to launch an urgent investigation, citing possible threats such as illegal fishing practices, plastic pollution, boat strikes, or entanglement in banned fishing nets. They also called for strengthened coastal monitoring and community awareness to prevent further losses of the endangered species.

Green sea turtles are protected under national and international conservation laws, and Pakistan’s coastline forms an important part of their migratory and breeding range.