CTF marks Turtle Day despite latest criticisms
(CNS): The Cayman Turtle Farm has issued a press release indicating that the facility is marking World Turtle Day on Friday which was designed to raise awareness and promote the conservation of the endangered species. In the wake of yet more damning criticisms about the Farm’s treatment of its turtles being bred for meat and its lack of genuine conservation credentials by the British based charity the WSPA the Farm is making the most of the day which has been sponsored by American Tortoise Rescue since 2000. “Every day at Cayman Turtle Farm: Island Wildlife Encounter is really a World Turtle Day,” said Chief Marketing Officer Tina Trumbach, despite the allegations.
“But today we’re celebrating with some special activities that we hope our guests will join in and support, including a limited edition T-shirt sale, the unveiling of a new mural in our Education Centre & Hatchery, and educational seminars on ‘Sea Turtles in Cayman’ by local experts throughout the day,” she added.
Research and reports by WSPA have, over the last two years, revealed a catalogue of issues relating to poor husbandry, diseases, cannibalism, deformities, breeding problems, mass deaths as a result of negligence and many more problems at the Farm. The charity has criticised the release programme, which has now been suspended as a result of the problems with farmed turtles that could be transmitted to wild populations, as well as the dumping of waste into theocean. On every occasion the Farm has sought to dismiss and down play the charities allegations as part of its campaign to transition the farm from a meat shop into a genuine conservation facility.
The WSPA is currently focusing on trying to persuade the Cayman authorities to ban the sale of turtle meat to tourist and stop the false demand. The government has since agreed to fund the department of the environment to examine and assess the demand for turtle meat locally and to consider the possible end of sales to visitors.
See details of the Farms plans in the release posted below for World Turtle Day
Category: Science and Nature
What does the Turtle Farm do with the beautiful and valuable shells – the byproduct of the meat processing?
Its illegal to sell them, so they get thrown away I imagine.
According to Sea Turtle Conservancy, despite the 1977 CITES treaty, and US Fishery embargo of 1991, there remains an active clandestine trade in hawksbill shells to support Japan's bekko industry and other perverse Asian demand. Shells are known to be sourced from Cuba, Central America, Dominican Republic, Columbia and Venezuela. We also know that In 2012, the CTF killed 900 turtles for meat, and that the Cayman Islands has connections with many neighbouring countries on the active offender list, begging the question: where are those shells and what is the process for their legitimate disposal?
Why dont WPSA go protect they Turkeys from ending up cutless plates for Thanks Giving? Why dont they go protect the little "Corn Hens" from being sent to the oven? Why dont they go protect the Pigs from becoming bacon at McDonalds? Why dont they go protect the Ostriches? Why dont they go protect the Aligators from being killed for handbags & shoes?
Why dont CNS do a poll to accurantly see how many ppl in fact want this to happen and where they're from because thats what it boils down to. Im of the view that its the expats who're pushing for this. And if our Caymanians are too, they're the ones that dont eat it but it fine if their 13-14-15yr old drinks alcohol & smokes the grass.
Allow me to answer your questions: Before you condemn the WSPA for what they stand for, please visit their websites so you will learn that they already do all of what you mentioned and much more. Animal cruelty has no borders nor species discrimination. The WSPA is not out to get us nor anyone else, just another important topic of animal cruelty somewhere in the world that needs adressing. It's called a global approach.
A poll has been conducted in the past and showed the percentage of people eating turtle products is very low hence the reason the farm is not it making financially among a host of other reasons. It's really not a secret. Alcohol and weed is a whole different matter and has nothing to do with this topic but more with parenting. I trust you have set the right example and hope your kids are star models for society for others to notice.
No proper poll has been conducted, just so Caycompass nonsense which is now mostly read by expats.
The reason the Turtle Farm is losing money is because of the massive overheads created when they started Boatswain's Beach. It has nothing to do with the demand for turtles.
13:53, the majority of the caycompass poll was answered by expats, hence there being "no demand". Next election we will add "do you eat turtle meat" below our candidate's and you will see that the Caymanians answering "no" is in the single digit range.
I am curious to know if there are any other turtle facilities in the world that actually breed and release green sea turtles on a yearly basis apart from the Cayman Islands?
Remind me again what good it would do the world's green sea turtle population if the only facility of its kind in the world is closed down?
Oh yeah, that's right, green sea turtle extinction in the wild.
Wait, would it be wrong to think but for our turtle farm that the green sea turtle would already be extinct?
Great argument muppets, destroy someting good.
Has WPSA attacked the Dolphin Discovery for the dolphin who knocked out a vistors tooth yet? Or thats not of any interest to them as its from North America Investers and species?
I dont see where they're pushing to close down Sea World where 3 Trainers were killed by Tilikum (a "killer" whale)! And the big cats in the Zoo's who got the (Zombie Virus)!
Target the bigger attractions first who matter most where it has been publicized of death taking place on there campus.
In the USA they raise Cow to kill, Pig to kill, Turkey to kill, Lamb to kill, Ostrich to kill and WSPA come with this foolishness about the Cayman Turtle Farm. All of whom i just mentioned are raised to be placed on someones plate.
Our forefathers survived off of the abundance of turtles in these waters and a lot of these politicians were raised up on it as well. As long as Turkey, Beef, Lamb, Ostrich, Alligator are being sold and put someones plate, i"ll be eating turtle meat!
We can discuss this topic until we all see purple but this is not going away any time soon. The Government is going to allow all of this regardless out the outcries whether that be about the turtles or the dolphins however the turtles in particular, they will do nothing besides say and pay anything just to keep a handful of people happy. Reality for concern of what is truly happening in these parks is a very distant second. I nonetheless hope that reality will kick in one of these days before our country gets a second and final black eye in the process which would make them truly too blind to see.
How foolish we all look to the rest of the world, continuing to slaughter and eat an endangered species because of "cultures and traditions." Times change people, get with the program!
Btw, yes, I am Caymanian!
Yoiu are a fool is what you are.
That's why we have a farm – so we can continue our traditions and at the same protect the wild turtle population. Closing down the farm would not stop people from eating turtle.
Stop blindly following what foreigners have to say.
Turtle stew. It is like shark fin soup. But worse.
Turtle Stew at Luz's was epic! Happy Turtle Day!!!!!!!!!!!
Nevermind traditions and culture,what's more important are the opinions of the vocal miniority, sensationalised by thoses than continuously exploit their readers' trust. Showing a slaughtered turtle on World Turtle Day is propagandistic. Will CNS post a picture of a slaughtered cow while we're all enjoying a Beef Wellington on Christmas Day?
As you can see this website is more compariable to the National Enquirer than anything else; definately not a trusted news outlet. Other than making sure this comment is displayed for others to read, this will be the last time I log onto this website.
14:58.CNS,in the interest of fairness and transparency ,you should issue a disclaimer each time you do an article on the Turtle Farm, as it is comes across that you support the work of WSPA and oppose the Farm.
I think you mean full disclosure rather than disclaimer. "We admit to being unabashedly biased reporters on the subject of the Turtle Farm and unreservedly support the efforts of the WSPA".
I'm not sure just how negative CNS is on the turtle farm or how positive they are on WSPA, but will say with all sincerity that I do not support the turtle farm in any fashion. I also do not support dolphin captivity nor whale captivity, but as far as I know the dolphin and whale "attractions" do not siphon off millions of dollars from the public purse like the turtle farm!
Disclaimer: I do not eat turtles, dolphins, whales, alligators, eels, dogs, cats or iguanas, and I am not affiliated with and do not actively support WSPA.
Yes, but you are not the news media pretending to write objective new articles. You are entitled to your opinions, but no one is likely to be influenced by them.
Well good bye, I guess you won't get to read this.
The photo shows the pathetic conditions at the turtle farm for the turtles living there and not a turtle being slaughtered. So your beef comparison is completely inappropiate and nonsensical.
If the turtle photo disturbs you then that is a good thing.
I want to know how to get a job paying 90,000.00 per annum???
Dear Tina,
Was it Turtle Day some months ago when the water supply system went down and hundreds of turtles fried in the mid day sun? If so, did you remember to sing them the "Happy Turles's Day" song?
13:54. That was 2 years ago,and happened before the first report by WSPA. Yet you and they continue to base your criticism on the past ,rather than take into account corrective actions taken by the farm since then. I wonder how you ,if as an adult would feel if someone should call you a thief , and this was based on something that happened 30 years ago when you were 6 years old.( Just a hypothetical example).We cannot continue to base our criticism strictly on past events without taking into consideration cahanges since then.
It is sad when the media becomes part of a propaganda machine.
I think it's good to have at least one public voice speaking against the turtle farm.
Make that two…. You have mine!!!