The following is in response to Colin Wilson, iNews Cayman’s Editor-in- Chief’s conversation via telephone last Friday (23) with the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).

Dear Colin,

Thank you so much for printing our pictures and quote from the recent turtle release.

A colleague of mine, Neena, passed your details on to me with the request that I send through a quote for you to use. We felt that the areas you wanted us to focus on were WSPA’s desired outcome for the Farm, the difference between farming animals intensively and farming wild animals in this way, and lastly how we view the cultural issues surrounding the eating of turtles. I have included this information below.

About what WSPA would like to see happen at the CTF:

The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) believes that there are other more animal friendly and sustainable options available to protect Green sea turtles and is calling on the Cayman Turtle Farm to permanently end sea turtle farming. The global animal welfare charity presented its findings to the farm’s management team earlier this year, proposing a plan for the farm to transition its business to a sea turtle rehabilitation and research center, which could increase tourism footfall and turnover.

The Cayman Turtle Farm has so far failed to respond to WSPA’s suggestions and offers of assistance to address the economic, conservation and welfare issues which it has identified.

Quote:

Rachel Alcock, Turtle Campaign Manager said: “We’ve seen that it’s possible to deliver good animal welfare alongside good conservation, and serve as an ethical tourist attraction. We would love to be in a position to help the farm change for the better, but its unwillingness to meet us halfway is posing a great challenge. CTF is an outdated model which does no justice to the Cayman Island’s treasured turtle heritage. We know that very many Caymanians are unhappy about culture being used as a justification for the factory farming of turtles. WSPA wants to work with the farm to turn the facility into a place that Caymanians can be proud of. We would like to help CTF make a positive change, for the turtles, for tourism and for the island.”

Sea-turtle farming VS livestock farming:

In WSPA’s view, sea turtle farming cannot be compared to livestock farming as sea turtles are non-domesticated species. Even turtles that have been bred in captivity have strong drives to behaviours that the farm’s intensive breeding conditions do not permit. In the wild, sea turtles are solitary creatures that travel long distances. They are not able to adapt to the artificial environment of the farm or to interaction with humans. There is simply no humane way to farm these creatures. It is worth mentioning that WSPA does also oppose all factory farming and works on this issue as it manifests around the world: http://www.wspa.org.uk/wspaswork/factoryfarming/default.aspx For example, we have been lobbying the UK government and local authorities on the growing pressure to build intensive dairy farms in Britain, and working with North American restaurants to transition to using cage free hens eggs, so we work to address the acute levels of suffering and the animal welfare need as we see it, wherever it is in the world.

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