They came in large numbers; they came in all ages; they also came as couples just for the love of turtles. The occasion was the 26th annual turtle release at the Public Beach on West Bay Road in Grand Cayman. Photo by John Evans
The 26th Annual Turtle Release took place off the public beach on West Bay Road.
Early afternoon rain had threatened the event, but the skies cleared and several hundred people gathered to witness the latest batch of green sea turtles being released into the sea.
Shortly before 5:00 pm a pick up truck delivered the 20 yearling turtles to the beach. Waiting by the roadside were 20 lucky raffle winners who would be responsible for safely carrying them to their new home.
Officials from the Turtle Farm handed each winner their turtle and, after posing for photographs, they walked through the waiting crowds to the ocean.
Unlike last year, when rough seas cause problems, the turtles only had to contend with a slight swell and very soon all were on their way.
All the turtles are tagged with a titanium tag on their fore flipper which provides information enabling people finding these animals in areas outside the Cayman Islands to provide feedback about their movements to the Turtle Farm. The majority of reports have come from Cuba, with sightings also from Honduras, Venezuela, the United States, Panama, Belize, Nicaragua, and Mexico. According to the Turtle Farm, this information suggests that the turtles adapt well to natural conditions when released as yearlings, and that their release site in the Cayman Islands dictates whether or not they migrate away from Cayman waters.
They also say that since the Farm has begun local turtle releases, sightings of green sea turtles by divers and residents living along the coast have been common.
Green sea turtles are found in all temperate and tropical waters throughout the world. They are listed as an endangered species in Florida and the Pacific coast of Mexico, and regarded as being under threat in the rest of the world. Adults can grow to around four feet in length, may weigh over 400 pounds and live for 80 years. Although the yearlings do not display the green colour, which gives the turtle its name, the adult’s diet of sea grass soon gives them their characteristic hue.
