by Colin Wilson

At a lively discussion on Monday (28) I had with Rachel Alcock, Campaign Manager for Wildlife Trade, Neena Dhaun, International Manager for World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and Caymanian, TV personality, world champion freediver, and environmentalist, Tanya Streeter who is acting as “celebrity spokesperson” for the lovely trio, I was asked would I eat diseased meat?

The question stumped me for a moment.  Obviously the answer is “No” but the discussion we were having was to do with the campaign to have the Cayman Turtle Farm closed down as a slaughterhouse for providing farmed turtle meat.

To take on three pretty ladies who are passionate about their task of stopping sea turtle farming is really a no brainer – you are going to lose.

I started out 100% supporting the Cayman Turtle Farm (CTF) in its stance against the ‘nasty’ attack from the WSPA when it first published its scathing report in October 2012, and believed the CTF press release they issued on 12^th October saying:

“Regarding the claims that the operations at the Cayman Turtle Farm are cruel to the turtles in our care, we found no evidence of the kinds of injuries or defects among the turtles reared at our facility that the WSPA is listing in its assertions against us.

“Rather, we have instead succeeded in maintaining the health and well-being of our turtle population through established veterinary treatment protocols and methods.

“The Cayman Turtle Farm shares the WSPA’s concern for the welfare of the animals in our care, and is committed to ensuring the safety and health of the sea turtles hatched and reared in our research and conservation centre, as well as the safety and health of our guests and our crew members.

“These magnificent animals – Green sea turtles (distinct from the critically endangered Leatherback or Kemp’s Ridley species) are the centerpiece of our facility and we treat them with the care and respect they deserve. The Cayman Turtle Farm ensures that we follow internationally accepted and humane animal husbandry practices and also follow internationally recognised release protocols when releasing these animals into the wild as part of our conservation mandate.

“It should also be noted, that once the WSPA approached the Cayman Turtle Farm with their claims, we immediately initiated a thorough review of our operations, and found no basis for their sensational allegations.”

For the whole report go to iNews Cayman story “Cayman Turtle Farm fights back against WSPA’s Stop Sea Turtle Farming” at www.ieyenews.com/2012/10/cayman-turtle-farm-fights-back-against-wspas-stop-sea-turtle-farming/

It has now been proved, to my satisfaction, that the above was untrue. Even the CTF’s own independent assessment of their operations said much the same thing concerning “the kinds of injuries or defects among the turtles reared at our facility” and damning said there were incidences  “skin lesions and mortality levels in younger age classes. CTF should immediately implement additional intensive treatment and management of all animals with lesions based on best available information, euthanasia of animals with poor prognosis, and undertake veterinary- pathological investigations of dead animals.   The panel was concerned that similar recommendations had been made in the past but have not been acted upon.”

I must admit to feeling crushed and somewhat amazed an establishment that is a huge tourist attraction here did not take immediate action to rectify the situation some time ago. Worse, they lied and I hate being lied to.

And why did they lie? It was bound to be discovered and now, a bad situation has become ten times worse. Can anyone believe anything coming from the CTF now?

How can one argue with these ladies when I have seen for myself the filthy water and the lesions on these animals?

And one does have to ask the question is the meat sold at the Turtle Farm coming from a diseased animal?

The CTF will say emphatically “No” but now I have to question everything they say.

Note: I have asked the CTF for a comment but to date none has been forthcoming.