Conservationists says CTF released injured turtles
(CNS): Last Sunday the Cayman Turtle Farm set the largest number of young turtles free in one gofor more than a decade, but a conservation organisation said that some of those animals were injured. The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), which is mounting a campaign to turn the farm into a conservation facility, said it had a representative at the event who took photographs and documented injuries to some of the turtles being released. Organised in conjunction with the Pirate’s Week Committee, the release, which involved participation by members of the public, took place on the shores of the North Sound. (WSPA photo shows turtle with chunk bitten out of rear flipper)
WSPA recently published a damning report about the Cayman Turtle Farm (CTF) and has been pressing the Farm's management to work with them to phase out the breeding of turtles for meat and instead create a world class facility for conservation of the various endangered turtle species. The Cayman Turtle Farm has in turn denied all of the serious accusations made by WSPA and has stated that it will be carrying out its own independent audit next month.
In a press release about Sunday’s event, the CTF said it featured a significantly higher number of turtles being released than in recent years, “largely due to a highly successful nesting season, which saw a record number of eggs laid and an increased hatching rate.”
However, the WSPA raised concerns that the release was a PR stunt to detract from the bad publicity the Farm has received following the publication of its revelations that pointed to numerous shortcomings and major concerns at the CTF. WSPA Central America and the Caribbean Programmes Officer and trained veterinarian, Roberto Vieto, said that what appeared on the surface to be a coup for sea turtle conservation was another example of bad practice.
“The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) had a supporter on the ground during the release, who saw evidence of turtles with visible defects being released,” he stated. “The Cayman Turtle Farm allowed untrained Cayman residents or tourists to freely handle the baby sea turtles; this bad handling practice can be extremely stressful for the animals, plus potentially affect the successful adaptation of the sea turtles in their natural habitat.”
Questioning the huge surge in turtles released this year after several years of modest release, the conservation expert wondered if it was merely a reaction to the bad publicity.
“WSPA believes the recent release is further evidence that the Farm is ignoring our concerns about continuing animal cruelty and bad practice. WSPA is still hoping to engage with the Farm constructively on these issues, but unfortunately the Farm seems unwilling to listen,” Vieto added.
The Turtle Farm acknowledged that many people were involved in the release as it had raffled the chance to release one of 20 of the turtles, with the other 80 being released by lucky spectators chosen on the day itself.
“Our release programme is dear to our hearts and a central component of our conservation activities as we continue to preserve the Green Sea Turtle population,” said Cayman Turtle Farm Managing Director Tim Adam. “This is a very important event for us, as we are releasing a larger number of turtles than we have in several years.”
He added that the release was the ultimate expression of the Farm’s conservation mission.
“As these baby turtles cross the sand, enter the water and start new lives in the sea, it is an awesome moment that gives us hope for the future — hope that the wild population will continue to grow and flourish with our help. With releases such as this one, the Cayman Turtle Farm is boosting native stocks and helping to rebuild a wildlife population that in the past had become almost completely depleted,” he added.
Both yearlings and advanced hatchlings were released and some were fitted withPassive Integrated Transponders (PIT tags) injected under the skin to allow researchers to identify the animals and better understand migration and nesting patterns.
Despite the injuries and defects documented by the observer from the WSPA, the Farm said that, as part of the release, turtles were quarantined and reviewed for any disease or defect and yearlings were prepared by being placed in conditions that replicate the natural habitat beforehand.
The Farm said that people who could not be at Sunday’s event could join the “virtual” turtle release event on the Cayman Turtle Farm’s Research and Conservation Facebook page to view photos and video of the event.
Although the Farm now says the rise in numbers is the beginning of a return to major release in the future, WSPA noted that of the 5,000 green sea turtles at the facility last year less than 1% were released, while over 14% died due to stress, disease and deformity and 15% were slaughtered for meat. Of the 31,000 turtles the farm claims to have released since the 1960s, only a dozen turtles nesting on Cayman's beaches have tags — a 0.04% success rate for conservation after some 40 years.
Related article on CNS: Report slams Turtle Farm
Read more about The World Society for the Protection of Animals
Category: Science and Nature
Where can I find the white sand in this picture????
Hello, can someone please tell me where in the North Sound did they release these turtles? That turtle is on with sand…..If your from here you would see my point!!!!!
You're (not YOUR) grasping at straws. I am from here, and if you had bothered to read the article about the release in the Compass you would have seen the same pictures stating that it was the beach adjacent to the North Sound Golf Club. You would be amazed at what a few truck loads of sand can do for areas that did not already have beaches.
Show me where they released these turtles??????
Is it really right to release them into North Sound, from an artificial beach – what happens when they try to return to nest on their natal shore? Shouldn't they be released from a known functioning turtle-nesting area, where the sand is deep and conditions are right? Why put them in the sound? – This is a question, not a criticism – just wondering what the scientific basis for releasing into the sound is? Can anyone let us know how CTF chose this location?
I'm not with CTF, but I doubt that their "natal shore" is imprinted on their brain with the accuracy of GPS. Just get in the neighbourhood and crawl your ass up the first stretch of sand to dump your load.
Again, not being from CTF, but I would imagine that the early days of a turtle's life might be better spent in the protective North Sound before venturing out into the wild blue ocean.
Sadly, the CTF keeps proving their lack of knowledge as you made a very good point here and should be considered another poor choice in this latest release fiasco. This release was merely based on gaining popularity rather then scientific facts of what is the right thing to do.
Neither action was the right thing to do in this case.
The thing that interests me about the WSPA and this discussion is what another poster pointed out. Lamb chops – good. Chicken – fantastic. Cow orpig – great. Turtle (because it is not a mainstream meat that most people eat) is off limits. Have you been to a chicken processing plant? Have you seen a cow farm? If you have ever seen a pig made into bacon or chops – you would run up the to Cayman Turtle Farm and hug them for their humanity.
Interesting – to throw mud at a culture that you dont like or understand, but there are so many social issues involving human beings across every culture … no one says a word except to tsk-tsk at it over their morning coffee on the news or paper.
I think we should consider human beings as an endangered species because we need some saving ourselves before we try to hypocritically to save the less "yummy" animals.
trying to discuss this with the cayman kind…….it's like banging your head against a brick wall…..
And is that your opinion of Cayman? or its people?
Eating odd things is not the issue. Eating endangered things is the issue.
Well if that is your concern, or should say, you argument is then flawed.
As it is an accepted fact that the major causes forthe elevated levels of endangered species/extinction of species is due to HIPPCO. The first being habitat degradation, fragmentation and destruction; not farming and releasing of those species.
Extinction (background extinction) is normal, but the high levels being faced by many species today is due to man and his never ending quest for more, and without consideration of sustainability for the future.
Just imagine if, what we consumed, i.e. trees for fire wood, clearing of land for crop growing and grazing of cattle was offset by the replanting of trees. How much better would it be.
So, as I said, farming and consuming/releasing into the wild a species that is threatened is a better option than not farming at all.
Please note that not only Caymanians eat turtle, and even worse there are thousands that end up in trawling nets that are thrown back into the sea to die (bycatch).
So you tell me, what do you prefer, farming with release, or no farming/no release? Heck, at least we know for sure that the green turtle is being breed.
But so many are blinded by other motives that they refuse to see the facts.
A visitor to Cayman for many years, who have respect for its people and is not blinded by a feeling of superiority
I'm a Caymanian and turtle meat is disgusting. I tried it many years ago and honestly don't see what's the big deal. It's nothing but oil. No wonder so many Caymanians have health problems.
It's quite obvious that the people at the farm are not taking proper care of the turtles. How else can 200 turtles die? Turtles would have to be left out of the water for a long time. Why were they not released rather than left to die or is it that no one even checked on them?
anyone who thinks the turtle farm in an enjoyable tourist experience has some serious mental problems….
Well this is Cayman. And it is in West Bay.
While I agree that the farm has its issues, I suggest you check out the reviews of the Turtle Farm on TripAdvisor before making such a sweeping statement. Our tourists seem, on average, to like it but perhaps their opinions don't count?
Truthseeker
Do we know for a fact that the photo shown with this article was actually taken at the recent release by the Turtle Farm.Is it possible that this picture was taken at some other place and time and passed on to the media as being of the recent release by the Turtle Farm.It really is suspicious when these outsiders come here and their first move is to want to stop us eating turtle meat.Then the second thing they suggest is,that they are just the right people to straighten this out for us .What is not mentioned is what will be their fees. I believe that most of us know that were it not for farming ,a lot of animals would not exist in the wild today.For example ,I bet the turkey would be extinct in the USA today ,if not for farming, but do we hear anyone from WSPA trying to stop the eating of turkeys.What about the lamb cops that are so well liked by the British,I bet sheep would be extinct had they not been farmed.Again we do not hear WSPA trying to stop the eating of "Mary's Little Lamb" chops.Due to this silence on the part of WSPAI am left to draw the conclusion that they are being a bit hyprocritical and are looking for a small country to beat up on because they cannot or will not tackle the large countries like USA or the UK.
You miss the point completely, the turkey, lamb and other food producing farms do not pretend to be conservation facilities as does the turtle farm. Major difference.
WSPA works all over the world. Visit their website: http://www.wspa-international.org/ They have specialized branches for every region and take on domestic chicken & cattle farming as well as exotic animal displays – their website lists "bears, dogs, factory farming, Borneo's orangutans, working horses, whaling, bullfights and more- in short, animal abuses everywhere, which must severly strap their resources. They would have no reason to prioritze the Cayman Islands or the Turtle Farm unless they recognized a serious problem. The last thing they should be accused of is hypocracy. The organization is huge and well-funded. The bad publicity for Cayman will damage our tourism industry, will not go away unless conditions are addressed.
Hunkering down and waiting out the storm may work for local issues, but we have now attracted the attention of a very dedicated and powerful group of well-known integrity and enormous influence. CTF needs to wake up and make this right – for the good of our country. Angry finger-pointing is useless.
Hold it!! This isn't about heritage. Whatever that term means to individuals….it is about the treatment of group of animals. Someone finally called the Turtle Farm to task about that issue. And offered assistance in improving the facility. One visit to the Turtle Farm should expose anyone to the fact that it is….overcrowded….dirty….and unhealthy. Not to mention cruel. There are so many turtles they can't get enough air. They crawl all over each other. And… resort to cannibalism. No one made that up as it's obvious to an observer. And no one is "picking" on Cayman, it's people, or it's heritage. It's a simple matter that the turtles don't have an existence considered to be humane or a facility that allows them to grow in a healthy manner.. Eat all the turtle meat you desire but at least accept the reality of their present conditions. Add to that the fact that it is a costly venture and is subsidized by everyone on island to the tune of millions of dollars. Everyone. The entire facility needs to be re-vamped, cleaned-up, and operated in accordance with best practice. Get off the topic of whether it is good or bad to eat turtle meat. That isn't the issue. Get it?? Why do all these things become an issue of Caymanians vs. Expats? After that…. it goes around in circles. "don't tell me what to do." blah blah blah
God ,I love my Turtle Meat, but when you take a VEGAN (TURTLE) and turn it into a canibal to prey on it own due to over crowding.this is what happen.app. 400 hatchling in 20 gallons of water.
People must have really meaningless lives if eating protected species is defined as part of their culture.
I am dumbfounded by how insular some people are. Arguments that "this is how we did things and how dare you" are shocking. When a creature is endangered and protected by global treaties the world community has a valid interest in acting against small minded local views, especially the views of a tiny group less than the size of a small town. The attitudes expressed on this site by the turtle-munchers, for want of a better term, have only made it clear to me that we all have a responsibility to stamp out the eating of turtle meat and the hell-hole that is the turtle farm. If eating endangered animals are that significant a part of your heritage you want to keep open as cruel a place as the turtle farm then you have a fairly vacuous and unimpressive heritage.
I like the term “turtle-munchers”.
So many people talk about Turtling being part of Caymanian heritage and how turtle meat keep the people of this island alive for hundreds of years. It was the only real export on this island and the only redily available source of meat. Caymanians have a right to be proud of thier history and hardships and should keep the turtle as a symbol of this islands past and the resileincy of the people who first settled this island.
However, the way to show thanks to the turtles who fed your ancestors is not to keep eating them. Caymanians should have a sense of pride and duty to try and restore the wild turtle population to what it once was. The people of this island depended on turtles for a long time and now they depend on us. The Farm should be about conservation and research. Its time to give back to an animal that has given us so much in the past.
Probably the most sensible post on the turtle issue I have read.
i think I'm in love with you a little bit.
The Turtle Farm is a disgrace in its entirety as it is now. It is run by a bunch of incompetent people and statistics show it is not performing as a viable operation should. In other words statistics show it is an epic FAIL. Putting those numbers aside, just go there for a visit and you can see for yourself that the Turtle Farm as it is now is NOT functioning as it should or was intended to do when Mariculture first started here in Salt Creek. It was a much more successful and viable operation way back when even without the improved education, equipment and technology available today. It actually had competent and conservation-minded staff and it provided a clean, healthy environment for the turtles whether they were kept for breeding, released into the wild, or butchered for local consumption. I applaud WSPA for bringing the plight of our turtles to light on the world stage. How many conservation facilities of any kind around the world have the high mortality rate and high number of disabilities and deformities of our turtles at the turlte farm???? How many facilites would still be permitted to operate where 400 animals died a horrible and unnecessary death in one day due to absolute negligence???? I am not a rocket scientist of any kind but I know for sure if I had the opportunity and even half the funding that government has poured into the Cayman Turlte Farm, I could turn it around and make it not only a successful conservation facitlity but a viable tourist attraction that visitors would rave about for its cleanliness, caring, knowlegeable and friendly staff, and its public education program geared to an island wide and world wide cinservation of the Green Sea Turtles and other local endangered species. This bunch that is there have got to go. Keep up the good work WSPA. We need the facts from you, not more lies from them.
Comments like 13:24 Friday are shocking in the 21st century. Businesses with global corporate responsibilty policies should treat the support of eating turtles as the moral equivalent of homophobia and racism in terms of acceptability by staff. It is so outdated and backwards that it cannot be excused or defended.
I agree, Turtles should not be kept in small pens, stacked up. They should be able to roam free like the other animals THAT PEOPLE EAT, like cows, chickens and pigs; which are kept and treated with such care.
You know, I find it very interesting, as a Environmental Science major, at University, how "people" are taking their approach in this issue.
One of the ways to ensure that humans do not deplete a natural resource, in the absence of our ability to use in a sustainable manner, is to farm; whether it be for consumption or other purposes.
Farming of a animal ensures that there is a constant supply of food, and it limits the depletion of the stock in the wild. Also, through the use of animal reserves, and the likes, releasing some into the wild also adds to the diversity of the gene pool (but not always a success)
What I think these so called animal right's group should be focusing on is ensuring or encouraging the Turtle Farm to take the appropriate steps to ensure that no turtles with genetic abnormalities are being released into the wild.
Why the great push to stop these people from eating them? What is so different about these turtles? Sure there are not many as we would want there to be in the wild, but that is not because of the people of the Cayman's; unless they own the trawling ships with drag nets that are racking the ocean floor.
This has been their cultural identity for generations, heck, at least they are sustaining themselves with this meat as opposed to taking it from the wild.
I must say that I don't like eating turtle, and only tried it once when I visited the island a few months ago. But, I didn't think it was my place to tell them that they couldn't no longer consume it.
If you support eating turtle in the modern age you support the abuse and mistreatment of these creatures in the turtle farm, you support the costs to Cayman of millions of dollars and you support the savages who haul wild animals off the beach to kill and eat.
I am just fed of of these animal rights people. They are so over zealous and simple. I know Animals need to be protected, but you have gone way too far. I noticed that anything that is unquie and different from North America should not be in exsistence. How can you be so disrespectful to someone's heritage? I noticed that most you who commented are not Caymanian and so the culture and heritage meant nothing to you. The least you can do is just shut the heck up! I know it wouldn't be an issue to you if they closed down the CTF and put a McDonald or someother North American fast food business there. You people got to learn to have respect for other people's culture and heritage. stop being so rude and out of order. In conclusion, when WSPA is successful in closing all the Sea Worlds, Marine Land, Zoos, and Circuses in North America, then they can shut down CTF! Such Hypocrosy!
You may as well stop whining about the criticism. It is going to get worse. Why not just save yourselves the $20 million a year loss. You can eat iguana on a stick instead.
There are a lot of abhorrent cultures and heritages throughout the world (child marriages for example). Are you saying that, because they are borne out of ‘culture and heritage’, we are not to allowed to be morally outraged? Move into the 21st century for goodness sake!
I am Caymanian and I do not want my heritage represented by a farm that is inhumanely keeps turtles. I don't agree that we need to get rid of the turtle farm, but I strongly feel that we need to do something about the amount of turtles we hold there and the conditions in which they are held.
I think people need to stop being so defensive over this issue and start to actually understand it and realize that we need to do what is best for the animals. We need to stop thinking about OUR heritage and how it affects US and start thinking about the them. If it weren't for the turtles in the first place, the heritage you talk of would not exist. This problem can be fixedwithout getting rid of the turtle farm, so my suggestion is that instead of arguing and name calling, we start putting our heads together as a community and coming up with solutions so that we can protect the heritage we are so proud of.
I wonder if any of the commenters that want the turtle farm closed have ever researched turkey slaughtering methods, chicken rearing or the rearing of cattle. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!
LMAO TOO FUNNY. so they thought they would release all of their "special needs" turtles and no one would see them? cramped in tiny pools they have to be deformed, i saw one with one flipper god knows he probably swimming in circles still. and one old one in a wheel chair trying to get away too. what a mess, shameful, good on you guys hope you all feel proud. great work photographers. TOO FUNNY.
I was at the turtle farm recently and noticed that almost all of the smaller turtles had a similar chunk missing from their back rightfin, we thought it was because of a tagging system because most of them had tags going right through the fin…..
Why the thumbs down, it is true! Just go and look, the first tanks u come to on the right when u go into the farm have turtles where u can see they are tagged on their right back fin, the plastic tag goes right through the fin, a lot of them have a disfigurement on the same fin that looks like a bite was taken out of them, just sayin….coincidence?
My money is on the fact that the Cayman Turtle farm released many "unhealthy, hurt, deformed turtles" which is why the numbers increased so dramatically this year. Just a guess, but they probably didn't count on the fact any experts being around I guess.
they should make better effort into cleaning up CTF. If you don't want it shut down then just humble yourselves, tag the turtles and set them free! Why keep so many turtles when it is killing them. " while over 14% died due to stress, disease and deformity" says it all.
Come on now, what is it going to take! Its a sin to abuse these animals they way the have been treated.!
They should have released the injured ones to me.. I'd have taken some more bites out of them!
Hmmm… turtle 🙂
not funny
It just shows the mentality we are dealing with. Utterly uncivilised.
As requested and noted a few times before, would the CTF be kind enough to disclose who is going to carry out this independent investigation to prove that supposedly nothing is wrong with the facility. If they are reluctant to do so, suspicions would he high to assume this person or group of experts are sent in to the field with specific instructions.
The CTF continues to proclaim that the WSPA is out to get them in some form or another hence the intended counteraction. The CTF fails to see or perhaps even know that the WSPA is doing actions such as this around the globe for all the right reasons, the welfare of animals, regardless of species or location.
And most of us will believethat this sudden release of turtles is nothing short of a cover up indeed and actually find it highly unethical to have done so at this time, days before this so called independent survey is to take place. I believe this has only made things worse for the CTF instead of better by releasing injured and therefore possibly infected turtles. These turtles should have been quarantined and treated prior to release. Bad move CTF!!
Turtle…the other other white meat.
Hellooooo? It doesn't take Einstein to see they're releasing all the evidence.
so what is the big XXXX deal the same things happen to those born in the wild . Predators get them on land and after they reach the water. living free in the wild does not mean living is easy and without danger. it's quite the opposite .
Do try and keep up! This is not about whether or not the released turtles run the usual risks of life in the wild, including things eating them (although being kept in a facility where your destiny is to be eaten by a human does not look attractive!) as your comment suggests. Its that the CTF stated publicly that WSPA claims that they had large numbers of turtles who show evidence of turtle cannibalism due to stress and a disproportionate amount of genetic diseases due to inbreeding were false, and also stated that there was no risk of them releasing diseased turtles into the wild and endangering the wild population, as they selected prime stock for release and quarantined them.
When their prime stock is publicly released and shows bites missing out of them long before any predator gets to them, CTF credibility rather evaporates. If we cannot believe them on the bites why would you believe them on anything else? Thats the point.
the turtle farm is a vile sick mess which blights the cayman tourist experience…..
The Farm' people are really something…deny, deny, deny everything
I agree with WSPA….
This one should not have been released because he still has three good fins that we can eat when he gets bigger…
knot so smart, you that you can still get meat from that bad fin too… you should stay away from injured turtles…
This disgusting place should be shut down once and for all. The eating of turtles is barbaric. It is as pathetic as the killing of whales. Only the ignorant carry on this practice.
Turtle is delicious.
Don’t knock it till you try it!
Anything that needs to be stewed as the best way of cooking it is not one of the world great meats. it is desperation food for subsistence economies.
Turtle Scalloppini is excellent also.
I am a Brit, too, Brit. What an awful, condescending, arrogant and ignorant comment. No wonder we are loathed around the world.
Brit's statement seemed to be more a statement of fact than opinion. The only meat which is typically stewed and which is considered one of the great meats in venison. Venison is the exception that proves the rule. Read the posts from Caymanians on this thread, the point about turtle being a subsistence food is factually accurate too once one understands the history of the Cayman Islands.
I hear human flesh is "delicious" too – we need to apply other criteria to what we eat, like sustainability, humane stewardship, health benefits or potential diseases. Have you heard the rumour that eating turtle causes cancer? Perhaps an explanation for the high rate here in Cayman.
I would rather you and all those like you be deported before shutting down the turtle farm.
But then there wouldnt be anyone to pay for the costs of running it.
You might not have to. If Cayman continues on its downward spiral all skill and intelligence will leave the island to…………the Bushits. I would love to watch as you try to survive on your own. Bush stew anyone?
What’s so different about farming turtles than farming cows or chickens.
Cows and chickens are not endangered species.
It usually doesn't cost $20.00 to make $10.00 worth of cow or chicken meat. Wait. I should add unless CIG is doing it then it would.
Are we to assume then that you don't eat meat, pork or chicken? These animals are slaughtered everyday to feed the worlds masses. Is the eating of cows, pigs or chickens less barbaric to you. What about the countries that eat whales, sharks, Iguanas, monkeys, aligators, rabbits, dogs and deer. Poor old Rosco and Bambi. So Barbaric. I guess there must be alot of ignorant people in these countries, maybe you should go and try to get them to stop the killing of all these animals, if you are successful then we'll stop eating Turtle. In the mean time I plan to get a big plate full of Turtle Stew today.
WSPA goes after all these animal abusers – Cayman wasn't "singled out" – We qualified fair and square to be put at the top of the list because of the deplorable conditions given to a protected endangered species. If nothing else, CTF employees have a responsibility to tourism to do a better job. This campaign is bad news for us, but the silver lining could be a properly-run facility and $10 million saved when the incompetent "management" is winnowed down to those few who actually work and don't just collect salaries.
How dare you! You come here and think you can dictate who does what and how! Let me tell you something…turtle meat is what carried this country through the most difficult times in its existence. You think Cayman ALWAYS had cows…or chickens?!
Caymanian men 'turtled' for their living. They fed their families off of the sea! A turtle is an animal. No different from those cute little deer or rabbits that are slaughtered to feed YOUR people. Eating rabbits and deer is barbaric! They're so cute and cuddly – but does that stop north america, canada or europe from hunting them, farming them or killing them!?
This is MY heritage. This is what MY people burned in the sun and died in the storms for. Don't you DARE come to MY island and tell MY people that what YOU think is not right should be shoved down our throats.
Go find 'sir' Paul and enjoy your venison and rabbit stew, nuh!
If we barbarians didn't have a turtle farm…sorry, Boatswain's Beach…then there would be NO MORE turtles in the sea. Get it!? Because they would have been hunted to extinction. We don't celebrate with your idiotic turkeys. We, the Caribbean people, the ones called Caymanians…who live in Cayman…and are named after this island because it is OUR island…celebrate with a big hot plate of turtle stew and rice and cassava and plantain and breadfruit. OK!? We do not need YOUR permission to eat our national dish. We do not need YOUR approval to carry on with a tradition that has been here longer than you have been peeling potatoes in your country.
And we sure as hell don't need YOUR consent to do what we do in OUR country.
Cha man…now I'm going to eat me a heaping plate of 'tuttle stew' and hope you walk by and see me!
The nerve!
If THAT is your heritage it is a pretty crap heritage. I will tell you that it is barbaric because it is when judged by civilised norms. The fact you can only see things from your isolated myopia is pitiful.
turtle meat is what carried this country through the most difficult times in its existence.
and here I thought it was Thatch rope and agouti…
if we barbarians didn't have a turtle farm…sorry, Boatswain's Beach…then there would be NO MORE turtles in the sea. Get it!? Because they would have been hunted to extinction.
Hunted to extinction, hmm…by whom?? Those same Caymanian Turtlers..
Your logic is flawed..you justify a breeding and farming program because otherwise there would be no more turtles left due to YOUR ancestors…and of this you are proud..
Furthurmore, you need to read a history book..other parts of the world have been inhabited for THOUSANDS of years..not the couple of hundred of Cayman..so go eat your turtle stew, get wexxed with everyone who thinks differently than you and I will peel and eat my potatoes..and my beef..and rabbit and deer…
Re: "We do not need YOUR approval to carry on with a tradition that has been here longer than you have been peeling potatoes in your country. "
LOL!
Preach it brudda / sista … preach it!
Don't pay these idiots much attention though. Some individuals are simply rammed so far up their own behinds they fail to appreciate and respect the differences in global cultures.
As for the turtle issue, this is my take;
Humans eat meat. Different humans from different parts of the world eat different meats.
End of.
*Furthermore, we know we should dismiss the opinions of those that tend to throw around terms such as "barbaric" at times like these. That alone is an insight into what exactly we are dealing with – and as I am sure you are well aware … it is a sad and pathetic reality.
"Humans eat meat. Different humans from different parts of the world eat different meats. End of." Unless they are endangered species protected by the CITES regimes in which case the global community has a valid interest in ending the disgusting practice of eating these animals.
I’d like a large serving of Xenophobia to go with my turtle please…..
It is not "your country", it is Britian's territory. It is now clear that campaigning needs to shift to London where steps will be taken to close down this disgusting "farm". A concentration camp for endangered animals.
Do you eat meat?
Not of creatures protected by CITES.
And cows won't need protection from CITES, because they are farmed!!!
Or you thought that cows are just high reproductive animals own their own?!!