Cayman Islands Turtle Farm assists Meals on Wheels

Monday, February 9th, 2015…… Cayman Turtle Farm staff used their lunch hours to assist Meals on Wheels this past week.

Meals on Wheels is a local charity that feeds the elderly and shut-ins within our local communities.

Cayman Turtle Farm signed on to do its part in contributing to the charity’s Collection Day on Friday, February 6th by covering the Cost U Less location for the entire day.

Members of staff were encouraged to volunteer for 1 hour time slots and collect donations at the location. Our team responded enthusiastically to this opportunity to help such a worthy cause.

In fact, two of our crew members – Managing Director Tim Adam and Park Coordinator India Narcisse-Elliott are regular volunteers with Meals on Wheels and have weekly meal routes taking hot meals to elderly members of our community.

We thank them and all of our crew members who took the time out to help.

Cayman Turtle Farm to benefit Grouper Moon Project

Monday, February 16th 2015…… Following a successful campaign in the last quarter of 2014 to donate the funds raised from bird feed sales in the Cayman Turtle Farm Aviary to the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme, a new charity recipient was chosen for the first quarter of 2015.

Starting in January 2015 and continuing through March 2015, proceeds of bird feed sales in the Caribbean Free-Flight Aviary will benefit the Grouper Moon Project.

Launched in 2002, the Grouper Moon Project’s objectives were to observe the Nassau grouper spawning aggregation off the western tip of Little Cayman, and to develop a protocol for monitoring their numbers and activity at the site.

For two weeks, a team of divers from REEF and the Cayman Islands Department of Environment visited the aggregation site and nearby reefs.

Since that first year, REEF has coordinated annual efforts to monitor and study the Little Cayman Nassau grouper aggregation.

The project has grown in scope to include an ambitious acoustic tagging research project, juvenile habitat and genetics studies, and early results have been published in the scientific literature.

Over CI$1600 was donated to the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme after the first quarter of the conservation donation programme.

Aviary hand-feeding for visitors takes place from 10am to 3pm daily.

The Cayman Turtle Farm is the most-visited land-based attraction in the Cayman Islands, and welcomes over 230,000 visitors annually.

Lifeguard Training at Cayman Turtle Farm

Friday, January 30, 2015…… Another group of Lifeguards at the Cayman Turtle Farm: Island Wildlife Encounter recently completed their Lifeguard Training and CPR Refresher courses.

Cayman Turtle Farm is the only attraction in the Cayman Islands that employs full time professional, fully trained and certified Lifeguards.

All Lifeguards at Cayman Turtle Farm receive CPR and safety training. We have a certified trainer in-house – Lifeguard Foremen Erin Miller, who offers on-the-job training as well as specialized training to the entire Lifeguard team.

All team members must also take refresher courses, and to be hired as a Lifeguard at Cayman Turtle Farm, each applicant must pass physical fitness and swimming tests.

New and existing members of the Lifeguard team recently completed a CPR certification course, and several members of the team are also pursuing PADI scuba certification.

The Cayman Turtle Farm: Island Wildlife Encounter is the Cayman Islands’ most-visited land-based attraction, with over 230,00 visitors annually.

Cayman Turtle Farm makes donation to National Trust for Blue Iguana Recovery

Friday, February 6th, 2015…… Cayman Turtle Farm: Island Wildlife Encounter has several in-house conservation programs of our own, but we also reach out to help other conservation initiatives in Cayman.

At our Caribbean Free-Flight Aviary (which has pioneered release programmes for both the Cayman Parrot and the White Crown Pigeon), the proceeds from the sale of bird feed during the last quarter of 2014 (October through December) has been donated to the National Trust of the Cayman Islands’ Blue Iguana Recovery Programme: http://www.blueiguana.ky/

During the quarter, our Terrestrial staff highlighted the Blue Iguana programme to guests visiting our Caribbean Aviary exhibit, educating them about the Blue Iguana and letting them know they also have a chance to support its conservation by enjoying feeding our Aviary birds. Funds raised during the quarter totaled US$1609.

Cayman Turtle Farm Curator – Terrestrial Exhibits & Education Programmes Geddes Hislop handed the cheque to National Trust director Christina McTaggart Pineda.

The donation programme continues throughout the year, with a new beneficiary being chosen every quarter.

Aviary Hand feeding for visitors takes place from 10AM – 3PM daily.

The Cayman Turtle Farm: Island Wildlife Encounter is the Cayman Islands’ most-visited land-based attraction, with over 230,00 visitors annually.

Winning names chosen for parrot twins

Monday, March 2nd 2015…… After a lively Facebook competition, the Cayman Turtle Farm’s Cayman Parrot “Twins” – who live in the Caribbean Free-flight Aviary, have been given names.

Their new appellations are: Silver and Thatch – in homage to the national tree of the Cayman Islands, the Silver Thatch Palm.

“We think these names are lovely and very appropriate given that the Cayman Parrot is also the Cayman Islands national bird,” said Tina Trumbach, Cayman Turtle Farm Chief Marketing Officer.

The winner of the CTF Facebook competition to name the Parrot “Twins” is Taura Ebanks – the author of “Let’s Explore the Cayman Islands” – which is a children’s book that invites children of all ages to take an adventure on all three islands.

Learn more about the colourfully illustrated story at the “Let’s Explore the Cayman Islands” Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/caymanstory

Cayman Turtle Farm hosts school visits

Monday, February 27th, 2015…… This past month, Cayman Turtle Farm welcomed students from Red Bay Primary, St. Ignatius Catholic School, Lighthouse School and Cayman Prep School.

Each group benefitted from educational presentations led by Cayman Turtle Farm Curator – Terrestrial Exhibits and Education Programmes Geddes Hislop.

Cayman Turtle Farm welcomes students all year round on both educational and recreational visits.

During the school year, many local teachers bring their classes to learn about turtles, conservation, and other marine life as part of their Science curriculum.

To benefit local students, Cayman Turtle Farm offers a special admission rate for these educational visits and also offers a lower-priced package school lunch menu.

Each year, over 2,000 local students, ranging from pre-school through to secondary level, attend the Cayman Turtle Farm on educational visits.