Earlier this week in East End, five sea turtle hatchlings were found dead near a beachfront property, one was crushed on the road, and 12 more were found alive nearby. All had been led away from the sea by artificial lighting. The incident follows two other serious hatchling misorientations in Grand Cayman last week. On
Every year, sea turtles travel thousands of miles across the Caribbean Sea, navigating ancient routes that connect feeding grounds and nesting beaches. Much of their lives remains out of sight, glimpsed only when turtles surface near shore or crawl onto beaches to nest. Today, however, new research is illuminating these hidden journeys. Sea turtle scientists
MEDIA RELEASE3 June, 2026 Meet Amber: The First Loggerhead Turtle of the 2026 Sea Turtle Tracking Programme When a nesting loggerhead turtle emerged onto a Grand Cayman beach on the night of 1 June, Department of Environment researchers carefully fitted her with both a satellite transmitter and an acoustic tag. Named Amber, she is the
For the Department of Environment, every day is Earth Day, but this year, the Cayman Islands mark 40 years of Marine Parks. That’s four decades of protecting the sea around us that has shaped our islands’ history, culture, economy, and daily life. This milestone reinforces how long-term conservation is essential to protecting both the natural
The DoE continues to receive reports of people feeding wild sea turtles. Feeding wild sea turtles does plenty of harm and NO good! Here’s why: While feeding sea turtles may seem harmless, it disrupts their natural foraging behavior posing serious risks to their health and survival. Turtles fed by humans lose their fear of people
Feeding sharks and turtles in the wild has devastating impacts. Feeding marine life is a tempting way to get closer to nature, especially when Cayman’s clear waters and abundant marine life make close encounters feel effortless. But offering food to any wildlife can have devastating impacts to animals, habitats, humans and the delicate balance of
The Cayman Islands’ official sea turtle nesting season is 1 May – 30 November. Sea turtles are a vital part of our marine ecosystem and are protected at all times under the National Conservation Act. Whether you’re on the beach, in the water, residing or visiting a coastal property, your actions can make a real
Scientists still don’t know how they do it, but every year sea turtles around the globe are driven by innate instinct to embark on incredible migrations to mate and lay their eggs, often travelling thousands of miles back to the beaches where they were born. Enduring hunger, exhaustion, and the constant threat of predation, they
Late Monday night, Water Authority workers in East End discovered sea turtle hatchlings on the road, drawn away from the ocean by artificial lighting. Thinking quickly, they followed advice to carefully collect and release them. DoE staff later found and excavated the nest confirming it was a rare hawksbill nest, only the 4th recorded in
On Wednesday 22nd January, DoE Conservation Officers responded to a report which resulted in them recovering a green sea turtle that had been illegally captured and removed from the water. A report was received about a suspicious vessel in South Sound. The suspects had taken their boat out of the water with the turtle onboard