Cayman Turtle Centre may have to stop releasing sea turtle hatchlings without government verification of its standards and protocols
Ebanks-Petrie said that research over more than 20 years of wild turtle populations nesting in Cayman shows that they travel significant distance and do not remain in local waters. Given the range they have, the release of farmed turtles poses a threat to turtles nesting in other jurisdictions as well as those that return to Grand Cayman to nest.
She explained that this poses a risk for Cayman’s reputation and the continued release under the conservation plan would require independent verification that the CTC is doing all it can to ensure the animals it releases or the hatchlings emerging from the eggs being placed on local beaches do not carry disease.
If the conservation plan for all turtles becomes law, it will include a requirement that “all eggs, hatchlings or turtles introduced on Cayman’s beaches or released into Cayman waters, regardless of source, must comply with terms and conditions set out in a permit issued by the (National Conservation) Council to ensure that best practice is followed”.
Turtle News From Around the World
Conservation
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USA: Jekyll Island, GA sees first sea turtle nest hatching of 2019
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Ecology
Caribbean: plans to build new hotel has St. Maarten Nature Foundation concerned for nesting sea turtles
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