World Animal Protection Comments re: Turtle Farm Subsidies

Leading animal welfare charity World Animal Protection has criticised the Cayman Islands Government (CIG) for further subsidising failures at the controversial Cayman Turtle Farm.

The CIG’s announcement of a further subsidy of CI$12.7M for the Cayman Turtle Farm over the 18-month period between July 1st 2016 and December 31st 2017 brings the total provided over the last decade to CI$100M.

World Animal Protection has also highlighted that over the same decade, funding for the Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Park has reached a mere CI$7.5m. This is a facility that abides by high standards including their care and protection for the iconic Blue Iguanas, which has helped bring this species back from the brink of extinction.

World Animal Protection CEO Steve McIvor said: “We are shocked that the Cayman Islands Government has now pledged over CI$100m subsidising failures at the controversial Cayman Turtle Farm.”

“It is staggering that such vast sums are spent paying off debt at a facility that breeds cruelty for thousands of turtles when at the same time both the Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Park and the Department of Environment could do with increased support.”

“The Cayman Islands Government seems to be turning a blind eye yet again to the cruelty the Turtle Farm causes to thousands of turtles every single year. It’s about time they woke up to the reality and started using money to truly protect turtles in the wild.”

Head of Wildlife Policy and Research at World Animal Protection Dr Neil D’Cruze added: “If the Cayman Islands Government really cares about protecting wild turtle populations, why don’t they provide even a fraction of these sums to the Department of Environment for their beach protection work? Similarly, if they want to promote venues that truly care for and celebrate iconic species why don’t they invest further in the Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Park?”

“At the Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Park, Blue Iguanas are able to wander around without fear of being poked and prodded by tourists, or farmed for commercial use. The Botanical Park is by all accounts a genuine conservation project that the Cayman Islands can be proud of, unlike the controversial and embarrassing Turtle Farm.”

“Nobody would dream of suggesting tourists should be able to pick up blue iguanas in order to get a selfie with them, so why are turtles any different?”

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IMAGE: en.wikipedia.org