Turtle release to return

| 24/09/2009

(CNS): Once a regular and important event that was meant to be part of the turtle farm’s commitment to conservation, the annual turtle release is returning to Pirates Week. It has been more than two years since the farm returned any of the turtles it breeds back to the wild, however Casandra Hibbert, Director of Cayman’s Pirates Week has announced that it will be happening during the West Bay heritage day on Tuesday, 17 November on the Seven Mile Public Beach.

Hibbert said she was very exited about the return of the release and added that anyone who would like to join in with a hands on approach can try their luck at being one of the chosen few to release the turtles into the water by visiting the Boatswain’s Beach attraction and sign up.

The draw for the winners will then take place on Friday 13 November (fireworks grand opening night) and all will be contacted via phone/ email. “This is a once in a lifetime event so I would suggest you getting up to Boatswain’s Beach quickly and adding your name to the pot,” said Hibbert.

The release has had its critics in the past however, some say the numbers released into the wild are so low as to not be bale to have any impact on the dwindling species numbers in the region and note that the risk to the endangered wild population from these farm bred turtles is not worth it.

Others however, have stated that part of the Cayman Turtle Farm’s reason to be is to help withthe conservation of the species as a pay back for selling these endangered species for meat. In recent years they say the farm for a number of reason’s including its own breeding difficulties has failed it is claim to have any role in the species conservation but merely adds to the struggle of turtles to survive because the farm condones the consumption of these at risk marine creatures.

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  1. anonymous says:

    Has the time of release been announced?