Iranian Turtles Vulnerable

Iran is home to 10 species of turtle, most of which are facing grave threats to their survival.

Speaking to ISNA, Asghar Mobaraki, a biodiversity expert at the Department of Environment, said the loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles are vulnerable species “because their numbers are low and their populations spread wide”.

Their dispersion makes implementation of conservation plans difficult. Sea turtles in southern Iran are in general under threat due to a variety of factors, ranging from climate change, which contributes to declining rainfall and persistent drought, to pollution caused by the flow of industrial and agricultural wastewater into the Persian Gulf.

“The condition of Euphrates softshell turtle is abysmal, particularly because they’re also threatened by poachers,” Mobaraki said. Some turtles, however, are thriving.

Hawksbill sea turtles lay eggs on schedule along the Persian Gulf coasts, a majority of which hatch and return to the sea. There are also green sea turtles, which are frequently seen in high numbers all along Iran’s southern coasts.