Endangered green turtle slaughtered with speargun
(CNS): Poachers killed a large green turtle by shooting a speargun through its head. Leaving this endangered species with one less mature adult and lessening its chances of survival, the inept poachers apparently fled without their illegal catch. Acting on a call from the public, officers from the Police Joint Marine Unit made the gruesome discovery in the North Sound when they found a 300 – 400 lbs adult male green turtle speared through the head and badly cut by a boat prop. Department of Environment (DoE) Research and Enforcement Officers rushed to meet the police vessel in an effort to save the severely injured turtle, a DoE release stated.
However, the discovery which was made last week (Sunday, 8 May), came too late for the turtle which died en route to the dock.
According to DOE officers, the turtle had been shot with a speargun and also hit by the prop of a boat. Based on their examination of the injuries, DOE officers believe that poachers deliberately speared the turtle in the head and then hit it with their prop as they attempted to bring it onboard their boat. The poachers were likely disturbed while taking the turtle and fled the scene, leaving the turtle behind.
Turtle nesting populations in the Cayman Islands are endangered and the loss of rare mature turtles threatens their survival even further. Therefore DOE considers turtle poaching to be among the most serious of conservation offences. Past cases of turtle poaching have resulted in large fines, prison sentences and confiscation of vehicles and boats used in the commission of the offence.
DOE officers confirmed that the speargun rod recovered from the turtle did not match any spears in the Cayman Islands Speargun License database – suggesting that the turtle was killed with an illegal, unlicensed spear.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to make a report to DOE Chief Conservation Officer Mark Orr (916-4271) or contact Crime Stoppers at 800–TIPS.
Category: Science and Nature
There have been some interesting theories expressed in the various comments and some unfortunate distractions from the real issue. The facts are that this turtle was shot through the head and it was trying to swim around and survive with a steel spear stuck through it's head. Apart from the fact that it was amazing that the turtle survived the immediate effects of that sort of trauma to it's head, can you imagine how it struggled to lift its head to breathe?
The turle was clearly hit by a boat long after it was speared. It was trying to stay on the surface to breathe. Being a mature green turtle it's shell was a mottled green gray so it would not be easily seen by a boat approaching it. I have a very good idea which boat hit it and I am certain it was entirely inadvertent and certainly unknown to the operators. Ironically, as gruesome as it was, being hit by a propeller was a blessing for this turtle as it was probably in for a long slow and painful death through starvation and drowning.
The act of shooting this turtle was completely irresponsible and shameful. Unfortunately the scum who is responsible will never be held accountable.
@ 20:43 look at the picture. Yes it does piss me off …
Start a fund to collect money to install cameras viewing the coast line they do not have to be every where ,just areas where these types on reptiles are known to harbour. we will see who poaching the lobster ,counchs and other marine life…
Amazing that this got all these hits (and some got all pissed of) when none of the posters has any idea what happened with this turtle, and at the exact same time apparently only three people care one way or the other that the DOE has a new program to protect turtle nests. And that article is only a couple of articles away. You folks are something else.
Just another reason not to visit your country due to the disgusting record of animal cruelty Cayman has.
@ 14:54 I had to take the time to reply to these comments. It blew me that anybody thinks like this. You mention your right to eat turtle meat and also the eradication of born Caymanians. In a round about way, at least to me these, these to subjects are closely related. Caymans first settlers, i assume your distant relations ate turtle to survive. Those same turtles became the main export product. Your ancestors become extremely proficient boat builders in order to export their product. In turn they became quality seamen, sought out all over the world. We could continue this chain of events till todays date. All starting from sea turtles. What a huge part of Caymanian culture the turtle is. So go ahead and continue to eat the last few remaining wild turtles who grace these waters. When they are all gone, you have lost a important part of your culture. Without culture you lack any sense of identity, and this my friend contributes more to the eradication of the caymanian people than anything else i can imagine. anyhow, just spouting off, i feel better now.
Our forefathers ate turtle because that was the most plentiful supply of meat there was. To continue to kill an animal until it is no more, simply because you're hungry (when there are PLENTY of options available today) does not honor your culture, your forefathers, or anyone. It is simply the actions of a few inbred, ignorant, imbeciles who will never be real men or real Caymanians.
To Anonymous on Thu, 05/12/2011 – 13:24: Interesting question that deserves an answer. So …
Have you ever seen a cow being professionally and humanely slaughtered for meat, using a captive bolt pistol (aka "cattle gun")that instantly stuns the animal with a precisely aimed shot into the animal's head? Read about it on Wikipedia: "Captive bolt pistol." That's basically the same way the guys down at the turtle farm do the first step in getting meat from turtles, using modern technology in a humane way, done by Caymanian turtlers who know what they are doing. You may know some of those guys and can ask them for yourself to answer your question, like I did awhile back.
And by the way those guys have told me they DO NOT slaughter ANY turtle that has been taken from the wild, even as an egg: only those that have been captive-bred and raised from turtle eggs laid on the artificial beach at the farm. And based on media reports from some time ago, nowadays they are way into 2nd generation in captivity and beyond.
So … There is NO comparison of that process done by experienced professionals, with what some obviously unskilled amateur(s) ended up doing to the wild male turtle causing it to suffer the trauma and prolonged pain of two different fatal injuries and deadly distress for who-knows-how-long.
And yes, accidents do happen, so: If you accidentally run over a turtle with your boat, please have the presence of mind to quickly get on VHF 16 or call 911 and get expert advice on what the best thing is to do next. Remember: we did not inherit our natural environment from our forefathers to squander carelessly; we hold it in trust for our children. As trustees we have a duty of care. So be trust-worthy. THAT is the true Caymanian way!
Stay safe over the long weekend!
I am an avid sea lover and protector but let's look at the facts before we get emotional about this situation. Here's my 2 cents worth….I have used spearguns for many years in other countries (not here as it is illegal without the proper licsence). In order to hit the Turtle in the head with a speargun you would have to be an incredible shot if done from a distance or you would have to at point blank range.
Let's omitt the crack shot theory as that is almost an impossible shot.
That leaves us with the very, very close shot theroy. The turtle was either shot by someone in the water or on a boat. I don't believe a healthy turtle would allow a boat to pull up along side it in order for someone to take the shot – they always dive when approached.
It may have been shot by someone in the water but that is unlikey too as no spearfisherman would get into the water without his spear connected to the gun and I doubt that poachers would go looking for a Turtle in the North Sound in broad daylight with a speargun. Additionally, spearfishing is normally done on the outside of the reef as the fishing is exponentially better out there so the possiblty of a chance encounter while looking for fish is also doubtful.
So where does that leave us? I think the turtle was hit by a boat first and then while floating injured, someone pulled up along side and shot it in the head with the speargun in order to pull it into the boat. The weight coupled with a last dying attemp to escape probably broke the spear's cord. The person who shot the turtle was disturbed by another boat / member of the public and abandoned the turtle.
The only question that remains unanswered in my eyes is whether the turtle was deliberatelty hit by a boat or was it an accident?
Hitting a turtle of that size at speed with a boat would feel like hiting a rock and if it was done by accident then they would have surely stopped and investigated and would have seen the injured turtle. They may have decided that since it was severly injuryed and probaly wouldn't survive then they may as well eat it (I can simpathize with this view) or they may not have seen the turtle and left the area only for another boat to happen apon the turtle later on and shoot it for the same reasons above.
On the other hand the trutle may have also been hit on purpose with the intention of harvesting it.
Furthermore I don't think a head shot with a speargun is an inhuman way to kill an injuryed animal as long as it is done properly but this is very difficult with a moving target. What other options were there? Wait for a vet to euthinize the animal hours later? Chop it's head off? Think about it.
The DOE's throry is the most plausible. It is just as likely that turtle was shot in head and took off which broke the string attached to the spear. A turtle injured in this manner (remember it was still alive when found) would not have been able to avoid a boat as easily and could have been hit by poachers or anyone else.
I think the theory that this animal was intentionally targeted by poachers is the only one that makes sense. It is not that hard to get close to a turtle and shooting one would not have been the sole domain of a crack shot.
People need to stop with the theory that some kindly person was trying to humanely put this thing out of its misery with the spear. Do you think the kind of person that illegally imports and uses an unlicensed speargun would actually be acting in the best interests of the animal? Please.
The silver lining in this story is that there is one less speargun out there to kill our already depleted sea life.
Thissort of abuse takes place all over the world. Caymanian, expat, meat eater, vegetarian. It is not nationality that causes this. It is lack of education.
They eat turtles don't they?
Turtle is not food…niether is dog, cat, pig, or anything else listed in Torah. Read Leviticus 11.
I thought spears were more or less illegal?
This is Africa ….. sorry … Cayman!
caymans treatment of all things to do with the environment is a disgrace…..
All you have to do is look at the poor horses and cow tied on the side of the road by the cricket field as an indicator of the complete disregard for animals in this country. Tied to a 6 foot rope in 32 C heat. Absolute torture! Disgusting. No wonder when things like this happen, people assume the worst.
So you all are telling me that a certain nationality can come here and kill our dogs, cats and eat them and we cannot kill our turtle to eat them. This is our food for many years and if unnah don't like it too bad. yes I agree its cruel to spear it, but no one knows the reason why this turtle was speared. I formally believe, if you all can eradicate the Born Caymanian from here, you would gladly do so. We know all about the discriminations that is taking place in the workforce, the society and elsewhere, we know how you all are always shu shu'ing about Caymanians, we know how you all think unnah is better than us, but you all love our Cayman dollar, though. We love our turtle meat, like how unnah love unnah gorillas, dogs and Bison meats. Leave us alone, that much we deserve.
I hear you, bro. You are right. You as a true born Caymanian have of course all the right to kill whatever animal runs around on this rock and swims in the water. I would suggest that you get a few friends together, grab some cans of cheap beer and go out, having a good time. Kill first the Blue Iguanas, so that you really show the world what you think about "them rules" about endangered animals.
Then grab your boat and spear all that stuff that floats around in the North Sound and the few things that are still alive along Seven Mile Beach.
When you have killed all the critters out there, you can post on CNS that you have now exercised your natural rights as True Born Caymanian. You are my hero, man. And it's great news that you will have been the last True Born Caymanian to ever slaughter a Blue Iguana and hopefully the last one to "fight" with a sea turtle.
And with regards to the discrimination in the work force. You are again 100% right. I see this every day. My company is absolutely discriminating people. But it's not discrmination against Caymanians – it's discrimination against dumb people. My HR department just doesn't allow me to hire dumb people. I'm very sorry about this – because this means that we two will never work together.
There is no excuse for killing a dog or cat for food. There is no excuse for killing an endangered species for food. This is not about us them. The world is try to repopulate the turtle so maybe, just maybe, some day we will be able to take them from the wild again. Those who poach endangered species are not just killing an animal, they may be killing the species.
Yes it was our food for years. We also had slavery for years. What was right in the past is not always right now.
How would you like to contribute to the extinction of the green turtle for one meal?
Is something bothering you, 14:54?
'So you all are telling me that a certain nationality can come here and kill our dogs, cats and eat them and we cannot kill our turtle to eat them'.
I would really like to know that 'certain' nationality that you refer to, such stunning displays of pre judgement and stereo typing deserve some sort of an award somewhere.
But please do let us all know, that way we can let more in or give them status as where I live is surrounded by an excess of dogs, cats and humans that all need culling!
Bechrist! I donno why unna won't left us?
Consider that if God wanted Caymanians to eat more sea turtles, the Planet's oceans would surely not be running out of them. God and the Earth never bequethed the last of their kind to Caymanians.
Nice point of view. With that sort of attitude I think you will likely eradicate all the turtles in Cayman waters before anyone succeeds in "eradicating the Born Caymanian". We can only hope and pray that not all folks are as ignorant as you…..
It's the complete jackasses like yourself that make me ashamed to be a born Caymanian sometimes. Did you not read the same article the rest of us did? This is not about our rights as born Caymanians, it's about extending the existence of a dying breed and a national icon. These turtles are endangered and it is illegal to kill them in the wild…hence the need for the TURTLE FARM! Despite what you might think (that is if you ever do this before running your ignorant mouth) the turtle farm is not just a tourist trap…You can buy turtle meat from them!!! "OMG! WHA?!?! Das wuh dat place dooes?" Yes, my dear, yes it does.
And while we're on the topic of how expats hate Caymanians, it's not the Caymanians they hate, it's the blind and unmerited entitlement that a lot of Caymanians exude. Since when has being a born national of a country given someone the right to go around doing whatever they want, acting however they want, and disrespecting authority on a daily basis? We think that we are something special because we were born in Cayman? Yes we have our rights, but the last time a checked we were never granted the right to bitch and moan just because our expat boss told us TO DO OUR EFFING JOB! Get over yourself, get an education and shut your damn mouth when you don't know what a topic is about. You just end up looking like the island idiot! Thank God you left the box as "Anonymous" at least you displayed a little intelligence. Don't go patting yourself on the back though.
Well, all I can say in the defense of the intelligent born Caymanians is no matter where you go in this world you will always have a good dose of jackasses to dampen the groove. We're just lucky enough to have a surplus in Cayman. 🙂
'but you all love our Cayman dollar though' ………
I am sorry to tell you this but it is tethered to a currency that is worth less every day.
Best of luck with that.
How about this: The cracked-out ignoramous aimed his trusty 18 footer over to the turtle as it surfaced and speared its defenseless head. In the fog of his blurred reality he had forgotten to tether his illegal spear to the reel mechanism and the hapless turtle escaped capture. Then the severely injured animal in a futile attempt to breath, retreated to the calmer waters of the sound, thereafter being struck by boaters.
There is no mercy killing scenario if he was found alive when reported to the DOE.
I highly doubt that someone would have risked damage to the engine of their boat by running over a turtle of that sizeon purpose. If the turtle had been speared with no other damage I would have called it cruel, however it would appear that it may have been accidenlty hit by the boat and speared to end its pain quickly in which case any native would have proceeded to take its meat so to not waste it… just saying.
Read the article. It didn't say the slash with the boat prop was intentional.
Couldnt it have possibly been a scenrio whereas, without knowing the boat overpassed the turtled and the propeller injured the turtle and when the occupants of the boat realized they had hit something, turned around to investigate only to find this animal and to put it out of its misery and also to catch it since it was trying to evade capture in addition to surviving with its injuries, the animal was shot in the head with the speargun? Highly unlikely.. but still a good story!
Can we please see the pictures of the way Turtle Farm slaughters the turtles for comparison reasons?
How does this compare to turtles slaughtered for consumption?
Frank, turtle farm meat is legal and poaching is illegal.
What is it about Caymanians with their spear guns, they love to shoot things that cannot hurt them?
I am disgusted by the comedy of pathetic errors in killing this beautiful creature.
Whoever did this should be ashamed.
Turtle shish kebab! Genius!
Isn't there also the possiblilty that the turtle was injured by the boat and put out of its misery with the spear gun?
There is that "possibility", but don't you think that if someone had done that, that would have had the decency to report it?? The report also goes on to state that the turtle died enroute to the dock, so the idea that whomever did this, did it to end the turtles suffering, is dubious….
We can be sure that the spear substantially contributed to the misery of this animal since it was alive when reported to DOE.
Sad……
This is really disgusting! We truly live in a third world country with no regards to anything or anyone else!
Who is forcing you tostay?
I wish you would shut up about Third world country!!!
To be fair, it is in the upper league of the third world.
It sounds like she struck a nerve with the 3rd world comments.
'cayman kind'….zzzzzzz
What are you trying to say? I'm Caymanian. I would never do or condone this action. I am quite frankly appalled that this has happened, but the last thing on my mind is "Cayman kind". Keep your ignorant, useless, predjudicial comments to yourself please.
I think they were referencing the terminology of Mac's tourism focus