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 and upon being followed they took a corner too fast which flipped the trailer causing the boat and turtle to be thrown into the road. The female turtle had been speared through her shell multiple times with a double-pronged spear and was still alive when recovered. Despite the best efforts of multiple vets from both the Cayman Turtle Centre and Island Vets, the turtle passed away due to the extent of the injuries. The offenders were subsequently apprehended and their equipment, including boat, trailer and vehicle, were seized. The incident is pending investigation.
Sea turtles are designated as Part 1 protected species in the Cayman Islands due to their vulnerable status in the wild. This means they are protected at all times under the National Conservation Act (2013) and it is illegal to possess or cause disturbance, harm or death to a sea turtle. Perpetrators are liable for up to $500,000 fine and/or 4 years in prison.
This turtle was a large sub-adult female green turtle, estimated to be 10-15 years old. Illegal take has serious impacts on sea turtles as only a very small proportion of sea turtles survive to maturity and they have very slow growth rates, taking more than 20 years to reach breeding age in the wild. Loss of a very small number of sub-adult and mature turtles can have long-lasting impacts on Cayman’s small population.
DoE Deputy Director, Timothy Austin congratulated the teamwork which led to the successful apprehension of the offenders. “We would like to extend our gratitude to those involved including our Conservation Officers and the RCIPS for their swift response and to the Cayman Turtle Centre and Island Vets for their incredible knowledge and immediate assistance. We urge the public to remain vigilant and please report any suspicious activities to 911 or 916-4271”
