Bio-diversity

Project Objective The primary objective of the project is to develop sustainable programs and activities for protecting the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) and conservation and land use management of the Green Sea Turtle nesting beach habitat in the project area through interventions based on the concept of environmental stewardship and participatory management. Sea Turtles Global Significance A thorough literature review process preceded the process of meetings and consultations with project stakeholders and relevant experts to assess the global significance of sea turtles (particularly green sea turtle, globally and in general in Pakistan). Their conservation status and distribution, patterns of oceanic migration, nesting and foraging behavior and the threats faced by them were also looked into. The Species Sea turtles are marine reptiles that have existed since their giant land turtle ancestors returned to the sea sometime during the age of the Dinosaurs. Currently, seven species are clearly recognized. They include the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), flatback (Natator depressus), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), and Kemp s ridley (Lepidohclys kempi). Sea turtles are highly migratory and utilize the waters of more than one country in their life times. The sea turtles are shared resources among many nations. The Significance Scientists are just beginning to understand the important ecological role sea turtles play in various marine and coastal ecosystems. Where large numbers of plant eating green sea turtles graze on sea grasses and algae, commercially important species such as shrimps, lobsters, fish and sharks thrive because the sea bottom habitat is more healthy and productive. By depositing their eggs on the shore, sea turtles transport vital nutrients from the ocean to nutrient poor coastal and inshore habitats. In fact, sea turtles are the only marine species that regularly transfer nutrients to the upland coastal habitat. Hawksbill turtles, which feed on sponges and corals, are believed to play a major role in maintaining the health and diversity of coral reef systems. In the Pacific, the collapse of leatherback turtle populations is partly responsible for an explosion in jellyfish populations (their main diet), which in turn has negatively effected commercial fishing. In short, sea turtles are increasingly being recognized as an important strand in the web of ocean life Sea turtles help to sustain the biological diversity of the oceans, and biological diversity in the oceans helps sustain the Earth. The Status Presently, all species except the Australian flat-back are listed in the IUCN Red List as Endangered or Vulnerable. All marine turtles are included in Appendix I of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and all species except the flat-back are listed in Appendices I and II of CMS (the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals) Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) The green sea turtle grows to a maximum size of about 4 feet and a weight of 440 pounds. It has a heart shaped shell, small head and single clawed flippers. Color is variable. The nesting season varies with locality and occurs nocturnally at 2,3, or 4 years intervals. Only occasionally do females produce clutches in successive years. A female may lay as many as nine clutches within a nesting season (overall average is about 3.3 nests per season) at about 13 days intervals. Clutch size varies from 75 to 200 eggs. The incubation period is from about 45 to 75 days, depending on the incubation temperature. Hatchlings generally emerge at night. Age at sexual maturity is believed to be 20 to 50 years. The green sea turtle has a worldwide distribution in tropical and subtropical waters. There is an estimated population of approximately 550,000 green sea turtles worldwide. Green sea turtles are generally found in fairly shallow waters (except when migrating), inside reefs, bays and inlets. The turtles are attracted to lagoons and shoals with an abundance of marine grass and algae. Open beaches with a sloping platform and minimal disturbances are required for nesting. Green Sea Turtles apparently have a strong nesting site fidelity and often make long distance migrations between feeding grounds and nesting beaches. Major green turtle nesting colonies in the Atlantic occur on Ascension Island, Aves Island, Costa Rica and Surinam. In the Western Pacific, the largest green turtle nesting aggregation in the world occurs on Raine Island, Australia, where thousands of female turtles nest nightly in an average nesting season. In the Indian Ocean, major nesting beaches occur in Oman where 6000 to 20,000 females are reported to nest annually. The Threats A major factor contributing to the green turtles decline worldwide is commercial harvest for eggs and meat. Other threats include loss or degradation of nesting habitat from coastal development and beach armouring; disorientation of hatchlings by beach front lighting; excessive nest predation; degradation of foraging habitat; marine pollution and debris; watercraft strikes; and incidental take from channel degrading and commercial fishing operation. Sea Turtle Nesting Sites in Pakistan. Virtually all the marine turtle nesting sites in Sindh occur on the Hawskbay Sandspit beaches, concentrated along one 5 km s

Pakistan